Vocal signals play a crucial role in species recognition and mate choice. Birds will usually have several different calls depending on context (e.g. begging calls, contact calls, alarm calls). In songbirds, complex calls are learned and simple calls are innate. However, non-songbirds, such as cuckoos, do not learn songs, but give innate, genetically-fixed calls. Cuckoos in Australia are often migratory species that breed locally but winter to the north. Previous work has demonstrated subtle genetic differences between populations of cuckoos reliant on different host species, but it is unclear whether these differences manifest in their vocal behaviours. Studies in Europe have shown that European cuckoo calls differ depending on environmental conditions, and cuckoos may use habitat imprinting to locate hosts. In this study we explored variation in the calls of Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoos (Chrysococcyx basalis) from around Australia. We found significant differences in pitch and syllable duration when comparing calls between different habitats but not between host races. This suggests that vocal variation is influenced by habitat, in accordance with the Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis which argues that song features get adapted to the sound transmission characteristics of the environment.

Australia's iconic high mountains provide critical water supply, clean energy, unique biodiversity, recreation and education opportunities. They face an ecological crisis from climate and land use change. The newly funded Australian Mountain Research Facility (AMRF) brings together leading institutions and researchers across four jurisdictions to produce world-leading ecosystem, evolutionary and biophysical science to guide adaptive management of high mountains across Australia. It will support research to assess the extent and effects of changing climate, water and fire regimes on ecosystem processes and their feedbacks and provide a structure for integrated research, management and governance of Australia's mountains.

The Australian Mountain Research Facility will provide critical monitoring equipment to catalyse and support world-leading ecosystem, evolutionary and biophysical science to engage and build capacity of decision makers adaptively managing Australia's mountains. Collaboration among the network partners will address both fundamental knowledge gaps about the response of mountain systems to climate change and deliver applied outcomes for on-ground management. We aim to work for a future in which water delivery ecosystem function can be maintained in the face of transformational change in climate and land use patterns. Our approach will set a leading example with applications to protected areas worldwide.

Urban areas worldwide are expanding at unprecedented rates, often with devastating consequences for wildlife. Humans generate various forms of urban pollution that may impact wildlife, including anthropogenic noise. The effect of such pollutants on wildlife physiology and behavior has been extensively studied, but their impact on animal cognitive performance remains poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that birds from urban and rural environments differ in cognitive performance. This outcome is plausible because anthropogenic stressors are known to disrupt developmental processes including cognitive development, but no study has yet investigated the relationship between anthropogenic noise and cognitive performance.

My research examines whether anthropogenic noise pollution alters cognitive performance in Australian magpies (Cracticus tibicen). Utilizing field and lab based cognitive testing, I am exploring the effect of anthropogenic noise on cognitive performance. Cognitive function directly impacts every aspect of an animal’s fitness. It is therefore imperative that we disentangle the mechanisms driving changes to cognition performance in urban environments, and explore possible solutions to mitigate these impacts.

Animal behaviour can vary over multiple axes, and that variability needs to be quantified to evaluate its ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences. We partitioned different aspects of behavioural variation (personality, plasticity, and variation in plasticity) to investigate its fitness consequences in eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). We focus on how maternal and offspring personalities affected juvenile survival to permanent exit from the pouch, at about 11 months of age. We used four experimental measures of individual behaviour: flight initiation distance, response to a foreign object, response to novel sounds, and pouch young response to handling. Flight initiation distance showed high repeatability, and also co-varied with other responses; therefore, we used it as a proxy of maternal personality. For pouch young, personality was assessed by calling rate and body movement responses to handling. We assessed survival to permanent pouch exit directly from field observations. Maternal personality and offspring calling rate did not contribute to juvenile survival to permanent exit, but juveniles that showed less reactions to handling were more likely to survive. Our results show evidence of both ‘personality’ and behavioural plasticity in eastern grey kangaroos, and also of selection on behavioural traits at an early life stage.

Little is known about the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) population on the Tasmanian mainland, which was extirpated in the 19th century. To date there has been no significant empirical work done on the range and habitats of Tasmanian emus, the reasons for their disappearance or the potential for re-introduction. I examined more than fifty recorded first-hand accounts by colonists and European explorers in Tasmania (or 'Van Diemens Land') prior to 1875 and gathered spatially explicit emu observations. Thirty-five suitable observations were found. Along with publicly available spatial data (bioclimatic variables, distance to freshwater and vegetation types), these observations were used to predict habitat suitability for emus at the time of European colonisation in 1803. Results indicate that emus were likely present in what is now the Midlands, the central West and the coastal regions of the Northeast. Much of the core of emu habitat was alienated for cropping and pasture prior to 1854. I suggest that the attendant habitat change was a likely contributor to the extirpation of emus, alongside hunting by humans and dogs and cessation of Aboriginal burning techniques. Opportunities for re-introducing emus to Tasmania are considered in the context of currently available habitat.

Austropuccina psidii (myrtle rust) is a fungal pathogen that threatens the persistence of plant species within the Myrtaceae family. Species of this family shapes iconic regional ecosystems such as sclerophyll forests, where they are the dominant plant species (Australian National Herbarium, 2010). To date, there are 182 confirmed infected species out of 360 susceptible species based on field observation and inoculation studies; however, only 19% of the species within the Myrtaceae family have been tested in Australia for the susceptibility of infection (Berthon et al.2019). The consequence of the loss of Myrtaceae species is unknown at a plant community and ecosystem level because research to date has focused on the detection and spread of the infection. The main aim of this Master’s research thesis is to assess the ecological impact that Myrtle rust has on subtropical wet sclerophyll forests on the Tallebudgera region in South East Queensland. As part of an ongoing monitoring program with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, we aim to use data previously collected by Pegg et al. 2018 and new data to unveil shifts in the condition of the forest that could trigger changes in the ecological structure. As to develop an understanding of the influence of plant traits and site characteristics in the incidence of myrtle rust infection and severity of impact on individual species and plant communities. Quantifying these impacts will enable the development of focussed species conservation processes and identification of plant communities and ecosystems at greatest risk of long term impacts.

Woody plant encroachment is a major land management issue. Woody removal often aims to restore the original grassy ecosystem, but few studies have assessed the role of woody plant removal on ecosystem functions and biodiversity at global scales. We collected data from 152 global studies and evaluated how different woody plant removal methods affected biodiversity (plant and animal diversity) and ecosystem functions (plant production, hydrological function, soil carbon) across global rangelands. Our results indicate that the impact of removal is strongly context dependent, varying with the specific response variable, removal method, and traits of the target species. Over all treatments, woody plant removal increased grass biomass and groundstorey plant diversity. Physical and chemical removal methods increased grass biomass and total groundstorey biomass, but burning reduced animal diversity and soil carbon. The impact of different treatment methods declined with time since removal, particularly for total groundstorey biomass. Removing pyramid-shaped woody plants increased total groundstorey biomass and hydrological function, but reduced groundstorey plant diversity. Environmental context (e.g. aridity and soil texture) indirectly affected the effect of removal on biomass and biodiversity by influencing plant traits such as plant shape, allelopathic or roots types. Our study demonstrates that a one-size-fits-all approach to woody plant removal is not appropriate, and that consideration of woody plant identity, removal method, and environmental context is critical for optimizing removal outcomes. Applying this knowledge is fundamental for maintaining diverse and functional rangeland ecosystems as we move towards a drier and more variable climate.

Environmental managers seldom have the luxury of full information to guide their decision-making. Managers must make decisions despite the uncertain outcomes of their actions, or risk failing to achieve their goals through inaction. Making decisions under uncertainty is a complex mathematical problem that can be efficiently solved using Artificial Intelligence (AI). For example, managing metapopulations of invasive or threatened species (susceptible-infected-susceptible networks) under imperfect detection can be optimised using powerful AI decision models such as Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDPs). However, optimisation alone is not sufficient for good management outcomes. AI decision models will only be useful if they are adopted by decision-makers. Most attention has been placed on the technical aspects of AI, with little emphasis on their adoption by human managers. Here, we propose to determine whether explanations can improve the uptake of AI recommendations and ultimately results in improved management outcomes. We propose an experiment to test the effectiveness and impact of explanations for managers, which we will present in order to solicit feedback from attendees. Ultimately, our aim is to achieve greater impact by effectively exploiting the benefits of AI decision tools.

Climate change is driving increasingly intense Marine Heatwaves (MHWs) that severely impact coastal marine ecosystems. The recently formalised definition of these extreme events has been readily applied to the study of thermal stress in temperate systems, but is rarely used to describe the degradation of coral reefs. We present a series of case studies that highlight limitations in the current framework used to describe coral bleaching and mortality events, and propose that integrating the MHW classification system can improve how we understand and predict the decline of coral reefs worldwide. Acute, intense and localised patches of extreme heat which we refer to as MHW hotspots, are having distinct ecological impacts including the widespread bleaching and mortality of reef building corals which we traditionally consider as being tolerant to thermal stress. As a result, we are seeing mass mortality of these keystone species in unprecedented timeframes that leads to rapid ecosystem phase shifts. The recently described process of massively accelerated microbial bioerosion of the reef framework associated with these events threatens the long term recovery of coral reefs due to a loss of structural complexity. This demonstrates that MHW hotspots not only have distinct biological effects, but also alter the physical architecture of coral reefs. We urge further research into this novel process and demonstrate the value of utilising the MHW classification system to describe coral reef degradation in a changing climate.

Northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) exhibit facultative male semelparity, where males only experience a single breeding season. Females, however, can survive to breed a second and even third year. Differences between the sexes in growth rate and adult body size is also prevalent, with male quolls reaching up to 5 times the size of females. This life history necessitates rapid growth rates for males but not females, which change throughout the quoll’s life stages. To meet growth demands, foraging time and overall exposure may also increase male quolls risk of predation. To assess variation in sex and seasonal foraging behaviour, we conducted in-field foraging trials on 53 individuals on Groote Eylandt, from Mar-Oct 2017. Foraging behaviour of quolls was filmed using a tray filled with a known number of hidden food. For each tray visit, the individual was identified, and the total time spent foraging and proportion of vigilance was quantified. Mass, growth rate and body condition scores were collected throughout the year for all individuals within the population. We found that male quolls were less vigilant than females, and foraging behaviour was season dependent with the longest time foraging in the sub-adult life-stage. By adulthood, quolls varied greatly in mass both within and between sexes. Body condition however, was not correlated with any life stage of the quolls. To understand variation in foraging behaviour and the implications of an individual’s size and body condition, we aim to assess how these traits effect survival and reproductive success.

The establishment of protected areas (PAs), especially in Amazonian forests, is an important bulwark against the global crises of biodiversity collapse and climate change. Here we assess if restriction of clearing within Amazonian PAs displaces deforestation pressure to adjacent forests, a spillover effect called leakage, or if it further inhibits deforestation around PAs, a spillover effect called blockage. Leakage can undermine the net impact achieved by PA establishment. We calculated the non-target and target impacts of 91 PAs established between 2005 and 2016 on satellite monitored deforestation rates. We then assessed how well the features of PAs, like size and strictness, explain the calculated spillovers. We found that, irrespective of whether blockage or leakage was detected, the calculated spillover effect was small compared to the size of the PA itself. On average, spillovers were implicated in less than 2% of the PA’s adjacent spillover zone being deforested above or below the expectation, with blockages outnumbering leakages. Higher deforestation rates than expected were identified within the boundaries in only 14% of PAs. These few poorly protected or leakage-prone PAs were concentrated in the southern and western extremes of the Amazon. High-magnitude leakage of deforestation pressure from PAs to their adjacent surroundings seems therefore to be rare in the Brazilian Amazon. Therefore, for the most effective conservation of Amazonian forests, priority ought instead to be given to achieving additionality with any new PA gazettals and ensuring the permanence and enforcement of those PAs already established.

The South Eastern Murray Mallee Region still contains relatively large intact patches of Mallee habitat throughout South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. These landscapes are critical to the survival of many Mallee adapted species, including a number of endemic EPBC list species. Despite the levels of integrity, the landscape and the species are hampered by historic and persistent threats. Inappropriate fire regime is one of these key threats, demonstrated well in 2014 when several extensive wildfires burnt through great swathes of these intact systems. The impacts whilst widespread were particularly devastating for a number of the threatened species, where entire sub populations were lost. Galvanised by these losses, government and non government stakeholders from across the tri-state gathered together in 2015 to seek a way forward that could facilitate recovery of these species whilst mitigating future losses. Conservation Action Planning framework (Nature Conservancy's version of Open Standards) was chosen as the tool for moving forward. Unlike traditional recovery planning documents, which are far more static, this 5 step process allows for recovery actions to be more regularly assessed and adapted to suit new knowledge and or outcomes. The poster will outline the key players involved, the species, the threats, the approach and some of the key wins since its inception.

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production sectors and is currently considered one of the most promising sources of sustainable nutrition for a growing global population. Among the multitude of species and culture systems, Atlantic salmon is one of the most valuable and widely farmed, primarily in open systems like marine net pens in coastal regions. There are two main feed-related challenges to the sustainability of salmon aquaculture: (1) nutrients released from unconsumed feed, faeces and metabolic wastes which can cause significant negative impacts in the local environment, and (2) the global environmental impacts of ingredients sourced for commercial aquaculture feed formulations. In this pilot study, we will test the capacity of a size-spectrum model to predict disparities in fish performance and nutrient output under different experimental dietary regimes. By integrating metabolism, growth, mortality and nutrient output data of a cohort of Atlantic salmon fed distinct novel feeds and kept in a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS), we will compare collected empirical data with the model outputs using statistical techniques. We expect the anticipated differences in metabolism, growth and nutrient output between experimental diets, as described in previous research, to be adequately predicted by the size spectrum model. The advantage of using a size-spectrum model for this study is its well-founded mechanistic basis which makes it a powerful tool for assessing ecosystem level impacts of human- and environment-driven changes from individual-level processes.

Predation by the introduced feral cat is key potential threat to the night parrot populations. In the remote locations, like the Bush Heritage Australia's 56,000 ha Pullen Pullen reserve, where night parrot populations have been rediscovered in Queensland, managers are trying to develop effective, evidence -based strategies to best deal with the cat threat. There is a slowly building information base on cat abundance, movements and foraging strategies and interactions with other wildlife including native predators. We present details on a Threatened Species Recovery Hub research project that is investigating cat and other species ecology, to inform management of the reserve. Camera trapping, SPOT tracking, shooting, fauna surveys, scat and stomach analysis are all being utilized to develop a picture of predator dynamics over time and space (2013 - present) and how best to target control.

Fire is a natural form of disturbance and a key driver of ecological processes. Increasingly, fire is employed as a management tool in fire-prone systems worldwide.

The aim of my research is to investigate how prescribed fire interacts with landscape structure, and how this can be used to improve habitat suitability for native microbat populations.

Microbats are a highly diverse group and comprise around one-quarter of global mammalian diversity. Given their variability and sensitivities to disturbances they are considered useful indicators of landscape change. Numerous studies have investigated the individual response of microbats to fire and the effects of landscape modification. However, studies into the co-occurring effects of fire and fragmentation on microbat diversity, community composition and the concurrent effects on population connectivity are limited.

My research is being conducted in the fragmented heathy woodlands of southwest Victoria and southeast South Australia. A space for time approach has been used to stratify 140 sites by landscape context and fire successional stages spanning a 78-year chronosequence. Acoustic data will be collected over two seasons, along with habitat structural data. This data will be used to model the response of individual species and community composition to landscape change and current fire regimes.

Expected outcomes will contribute to a better understanding of the combined effects of fire and fragmentation and the implications of current fire regimes for native microbat persistence.

Wildfires and droughts are increasing in severity and frequency, occurring globally and often in co-occurrence. Meanwhile, in order to minimize risks posed to human lives and infrastructure, managers are increasingly turning to prescribed fires. However, the timing and severity of these implemented prescribed fires is often drastically different from wildfires. Currently, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the impacts of droughts and fire on populations of pollinators, or the flow-on affects to plant reproduction, population viability, or ecosystem stability. We are employing a combination of both observational and experimental approaches to monitor plant-pollinator mutualisms pre- and post-fire, along with longer-term studies on the influence of drought on the stability of plant-pollinator communities. Our present work shows that post-fire recovery is severely retarded by drought, with few trophic resources for pollinators to survive on in the absence of reliable rainfall. We will be using ecological traits such as nesting (in vegetation, below ground, or parasitic), and foraging (generalist vs. specialist) behaviors to better understand pollinator responses. By increasing our understanding of the impacts of fire and drought upon pollinator communities in Australia, this project will improve fire-management practices and conservation outcomes for threatened flora and dependent species.

In Australia, conservation fencing is commonly used to protect existing populations of threatened fauna, to support the re-introduction of locally extant fauna or to introduce threatened fauna that may not have existed in the area but are known from the region. Fenced wildlife sanctuaries first emerged as a conservation tool in the 1980s and there are now currently 19 such sanctuaries operating on the Australian mainland. Through a process of strategic community consultations, Nyamba Buru Yawuru is currently exploring the idea of creating a fenced wildlife sanctuary on Yawuru country. An indigenous-led wildlife restoration project of this scale would be a nationally significant project for which there is no precedent in northern Australia. In addition to the conservation benefits, a predator-free wildlife enclosure may also provide economic opportunities through tourism, increased public education and community engagement, and enhancement of Yawuru cultural values. This poster explores the development of this project from an indigenous perspective and highlights the priority concerns of the Yawuru community.

Megoura crassicauda, an exotic pest in Australia, mostly restricted to the Vicia genus become a new threat for faba bean production in Australia. The effect of temperature on Megoura is not well known. This present study demonstrates the impact of constant and fluctuating temperature on Megoura aphid development and reproduction. We applied different temperature regimes to understand the demography of Megoura crassicauda. A constant temperature of 25°C and four different temperature regimes (increased by +0°C, +2°C, +4°C and +5°C ) as compared to the base regimes were used as treatments. The base temperature was taken from daily mean temperatures, in the Armidale, NSW, Australia by averaging hourly temperatures for the months of January to December, 2013 to 2017. We made life tables for Megoura aphid by using these treatments. Aphids exposed to base + 0°C temperature regime have the highest rate of population growth than the rest. Nymphal period, adult longevity, fecundity, mean generation time, population doubling time and life expectancy were increased in diurnally fluctuating temperature than constant temperature. As aphids can respond significantly to different temperature regimes, we cannot ignore diurnal temperature variation and should be incorporated in our current research arena.

Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) is endemic to eastern Victoria where its total known range is confined to a 70 x 90 km area. Occupied habitat is restricted to high elevation montane ash forest and sub-alpine woodland, with the exception of Yellingbo. Leadbeater’s possums were once distributed from Mt Wills to the Yarra Valley, and south to the Westernport region. Initially there were only five records of this species from lowland areas recorded between 1867 to 1909, and then due to land clearing the possum was believed to be lost forever. After almost 50 years, in 1961 Leadbeater’s possums were rediscovered, and in 1986 a genetically distinct lowland population was identified in Yellingbo Conservation Reserve. Now we have a second chance to save this critically endangered species, with particular focus on the lowland population. This population is believed to be genetically unique and shares genetic affinities with historic specimens collected at the turn of last century. Now there are fewer than 40 lowland Leadbeater’s possums left and recent analyses have confirmed inbreeding depression within the population. In a drastic move to conserve lowland Leadbeater’s possums we are trialling intensive population management through genetic manipulation, translocation, assisted colonisation, habitat restoration, and captive breeding. Currently, particularly in Australia, we are seeing an increase number of threatened species especially under worsening environmental pressures. As a result, Leadbeater’s possums may provide a test case for intensive population management as a tool for the conservation of other threatened species.

The concentration and digestibility of dietary protein, the latter strongly influenced by tannins, often influences what mammalian herbivores eat and where they are found, with plant defensive chemicals also limiting intake of some plants. These plant attributes are easily measured and allow rapid comparisons of diet quality across plant species, habitats and populations. However, these indices do not reveal the full nutritional benefit to herbivores of feeding from different diets. Despite its highly specialised diet and intensive research into its diet selection and ecology, the nutritional return to the koala from feeding has only been comprehensively described for a single eucalypt species (Eucalyptus punctata). We maintained koalas at Cape Otway, Victoria, on pure diets of two food tree species strongly differing in palatability. Eucalyptus viminalis is a highly preferred species that supports high reproductive rates that lead to koala overpopulation and defoliation of trees, while Eucalyptus obliqua is a commonly avoided food tree species, with lower digestible nitrogen concentrations. The two species belong to different eucalypt subgenera and also differ in the types and amounts of secondary metabolites they possess. We report and contrast the passage rate, digestibility and net daily intake of energy, protein, fibre fractions, fats and plant secondary metabolites from these two species to provide a multidimensional perspective of the range of nutritional quality of koala diets. These data are essential to understand how koalas and other folivores might assemble balanced diets that meet multiple nutritional targets, which may differ throughout the koala’s range and between seasons.

It has been hypothesized that urban environments are nutritionally unbalanced habitats for birds. Macronutrients like proteins are critical for growth and reproduction, while carotenoid pigments are important for immunity and signalling systems. In cities, human discards increase environmental levels of lipids and carbohydrates, while substitution of vegetation reduce the availability of protein and carotenoid-rich foods (fruit, insects). Here, we intend to test the hypothesis that cities are nutrient-impoverished environments by measuring the coloration of carotenoid-based morphological signals of urban birds. With the aim to establish an experimental relationship between signal coloration and diet quality, we used common myna birds (Acridotheres tristis) divided into four experimental groups for which we manipulated and measured diet quality, carotenoid intake and signal coloration. Carotenoid-supplementation in mynas raised levels of plasma carotenoids, however, birds also able to select their own nutrient intakes had a significantly higher level of circulating carotenoids than all other experimental groups. There were also evidence that males and females prioritized intake of different nutrients, depending on whether or not they ingested carotenoids. Finally, while treatment had no significant effect on female coloration, the absence of carotenoid supplementation in males provoked a loss in coloration and supplemented males were significantly more colored than control males. It appears that each sex could adopt different foraging strategies, with females maximizing food intake for reproductive function and males maximizing pigments absorption for signal expression. Hence, signal coloration could be used to test the hypothesis that cities are nutrient-impoverished environments for birds, but only in males.

Globally, we are facing an extinction crisis and it is therefore imperative to determine the causes of decline of threatened species in order to halt and reverse species loss. The Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon (Tympanocryptis lineata) is a species of dragon lizard only found in the Natural Temperate Grasslands in the ACT and a small area across the border in NSW. After being rediscovered in the 1990’s, this species has more recently shown severe declines in abundance and site occupancy.
We monitored populations of Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon at four long term monitoring sites, with the aim of better understanding how to improve the conservation outcomes of this declining species. The dragons were surveyed in grids using artificial invertebrate burrows made from PVC pipe which act as an open trap. We explored the relationships between trends in Grassland Earless Dragon detections with environmental factors and land management actions. We found that dragon populations have experienced a number of declines with the dragons no longer detectable at some sites. The reintroduction of fire into the grasslands has had a positive impact on the dragon populations, with dragons detected in sites within three years post burn from sites where they had been undetected for some years. Loss of Natural Temperate Grassland, periods of drought, and inappropriate grassland structure were implicated in the decline of this species. Current management actions are attempting to rectify these issues, and continued management interventions are likely needed to prevent the extinction of this species.

Developing management plans for multiple ecological values requires making trade-offs that sacrifice improvements in one ecological value for gains in other ecological values. Typically, trade-offs are done intuitively, which lacks transparency, can result in poor consideration of all values, and limits clear communication of the rationale for decisions.

We explored trade-offs for multiple threatened grassland species and a threatened ecological community at three management sites as part of the Melbourne Strategic Assessment. We used a structured, participatory approach that included decision-makers and stakeholders to define the decision context, develop objectives, and alternative management scenarios focused on fire and/or weed management. We predicted expected outcomes for each of the species and ecological community using stochastic models. We used a swing weighting method to explore trade-offs which required participants to assign a rank and relative weight to each value based on the best and worst consequence given all scenarios.

Stakeholders tended to weight Natural Temperate Grasslands and Striped Legless Lizard higher than other values. The scenario comprised of short burn intervals followed by weed control achieved the highest benefits. However, this scenario was predicted to provide no benefit to Striped Legless Lizard and was relatively costly. The status-quo management scenario comprising of medium to long burn intervals along with weed control supported a relatively even distribution of benefits across values and was expected to achieve similar but slightly less benefits.

This approach offers improvements in decision processes and can help to avoid overlooking values, where competing objectives may otherwise be poorly considered.

Understanding how biodiversity is changing is an important step in mitigating our impacts on the environment. Biodiversity indicators are used to synthesise and simplify the status and trends of key aspects of biodiversity. The usefulness of an indicator depends on how well it provides reliable information about the aspect of biodiversity is measures. Despite their importance as decision-making tools, the performance of biodiversity indicators has seldom been tested. We test the performance of three indices developed to synthesise the status and trends in the risk, spatial distribution and health among ecosystems: Red List Index for Ecosystems, Ecosystem Area index and Ecosystem Health Index. We use a stochastic ‘whole-of-ecosystem’ simulation model, the Coral Reef Scenario Evaluation Tool, to evaluate the ability of the ecosystem indices to reliably represent the status of biodiversity under various scenarios of change. Specifically, we tested the ability of the indices to meet their stated aims of measuring risk and changes in ecosystems towards collapse by comparing the indices under low threat and high threat scenarios. We examined whether there were time lags in when each index detected the changing status of the ecosystems as threats either increased or decreased. Lastly, we examined the ability of the Ecosystem Area index and Ecosystem Health Index to identify declines in ecosystems based on the threat types and ecological variables used. Our study will help improve understanding of the reliably of these ecosystem indices as decision-making tools.

Climate plays a major role in determining plant community composition. Different climate variables have been used to determine how climate alters the occurrence of traits, and structures vegetation distribution and diversity at regional and global scales. Research has shown that some functional traits are more strongly influenced by environmental conditions than others. Seed mass is a fundamental characteristic of a plant’s life history. It has recognised impacts on various stages of plant life cycle. In this study, we attempted to determine which climate variables are most related to seed mass and seed shape across Australia. Seeds of 67 Australian annual species from a range of habitats were sourced from seed supply companies for this purpose. 19 variables describing both the climate at the seed collection sites, and that of the species distribution across Australia were used for the analysis. In both data-sets, seed mass was positively correlated to mean radiation and temperature, particularly mean temperatures of the warmest and wettest quarters, but negatively correlated to annual rainfall. However, there was no relationship between seed shape and climate variables. The results indicated that seed mass is larger in hotter and drier parts of Australia which can be related to higher photosynthesis rates and therefore higher available biomass to produce large seeds. Our findings also showed the possibility of using environmental data associated to the national distribution of individual species instead of the collection provenances, despite the wide spreading of some investigated species across Australia.

The combined effects of the urban heat island phenomenon and climate change, are driving record-breaking extreme temperatures in cities across Australia. Such conditions pose considerable health risks for city dwellers. This study aimed to evaluate the role that urban vegetation can play in reducing heat exposure as an important step towards reducing climate risk in the urban landscape. A total of 350 trees, of the 12 most abundant planted tree species were evaluated in five locations across Sydney region within each of three planting contexts (park, nature strip and pavement). To quantify summertime temperature benefits we measured air and surface temperatures directly under the tree canopy and also in the adjacent area in full sunlight. Three artificial surfaces - black and white tiles and artificial grass - were deployed to capture surface temperature benefits in a standardised manner. We found a mean and maximum air temperature (Ta) reduction below canopies of 1.1°C and 3.7°C, respectively. Temperature reductions of standardised surfaces (Ts) under the canopy, compared to full-sun exposure, were up to 45°C. Trees planted in pavement provided a lower Ts reduction, compared to those in parks and nature strips. Our results highlight the importance of tree attributes such as height, canopy size, and leaf area index, together with wind speed and ambient temperature in determining the magnitude of air temperature reduction. Understanding the relationships between tree traits and cooling benefits may help inform planting decisions to reduce climate risk and enhance liveability within the urban landscape.

Some of the fundamental questions remaining in ecology include whether species are able to adapt to rapid environmental change and to an increasingly anthropogenically modified environment. To predict species’ response to these changes, long-term monitoring programs are needed. Biologging is a valuable tool to obtain long-term data on physiology and behavior, which can give information on metabolic rate, energy budgets, and animals responses to stressors and changing environments. Biologging data on body temperature and heart rate rhythms of 12 free-ranging moose in our study in Sweden showed that moose reduce body temperature and heart rate substantially from summer to winter, resulting in a reduction of energy expenditure by 60%. Previous studies found that moose experience heat stress when ambient temperatures exceed 14°C, perhaps partially explaining the elevated metabolic rates seen in summer. These elevated metabolic rates could potentially affect habitat selection, growth and fat accumulation before winter. Additionally to the effects of climate change, wildlife are affected by increasing anthropogenic disturbance. Bears and moose in Sweden are intensively hunted using specialized hunting dogs. However, most of these hunts fail even though the dog chased the animal. Preliminary studies on experimental dog hunts on moose show similar results to that found previously in bears; unsuccessful hunts resulted in great energetic costs and long resting phases, implying a considerable energetic and behavioral impact. Utilizing biologging data to monitor animals’ energy expenditure and behavioral responses to human disturbance and environmental change could contribute to improve future species distribution models.

Biocultural diversity is one approach to conceiving and managing the inter-dependent relationship of human and ecological systems. One way of measuring biocultural diversity is to look at the relationship between species and language diversity. In this work, we measure biodiversity by using ‘intactness’ based on Stein’s (2002) river disturbance index that categorises river networks from ‘near-pristine to highly degraded’. We use this as an inverse measure of biodiversity. Rivers system processes that have not been significantly changed by the settler state have a lower disturbance index value and are more likely to support healthier aquatic fauna, habitats, and ecosystem connectivity. We draw on the AITSIS 2004 national Indigenous language survey results to map and represent the state of language use as one indicator of cultural diversity. We explore the relationship between river ‘intactness’ and language use as a potential measure of biocultural diversity. Using this approach, we found that the regions with higher levels of river ‘intactness’ (lower disturbance) are also where the states of language use are strongest. These are in Arnhem land and Central Australia. We found that areas with least ‘intactness’, or greatest degradation, in the Murray Darling Basin and urban settings, are where Indigenous groups are actively pursuing language revival work. We posit that biocultural indicators are increasingly needed to transform dialogue about conservation practices, bringing greater focus to place-based assessments that incorporate wellbeing and social justice dimensions and highlight the social impacts of national policies.

As urban landscapes are often located in areas of high biodiversity and overlap the distribution of many native species, there is growing recognition of their potential role in biodiversity conservation. Within these landscapes, large urban green spaces, particularly remnant bushland, is considered critical for wildlife, whilst the role of small green spaces, such as residential gardens, has been largely overlooked despite comprising a major component of the total green space. This presentation will address three key questions which aim to determine the value of gardens for mammal wildlife: (1) how does the abundance and presence of mammals in gardens compare to urban bushland remnants?; (2) what garden features promote the presence and abundance of mammals in gardens?; and (3) are mammals capable of exclusively living within gardens without any dependence on urban bushland? A combination of mammal trapping, spotlight surveys, bat detecting, radio-tracking and citizen science was used to investigate these questions within southwestern Australia. Preliminary results suggest that gardens and bushland support similar abundances of certain mammal species (e.g. the critically endangered western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis)); garden features that promote mammal presence are consistent with broad ecological and habitat requirements of each species; and that some mammal species can have home ranges that are exclusive to gardens. This research highlights that gardens offer additional valuable habitat to parks, roadside vegetation and urban bushland, and can play a significant role in biodiversity conservation.

The extraction and commercialization of moss in Mexico is directly related to the catholic tradition of elaborating Nativities that are a scale representation of the birth of Jesus Christ. In spite of being a seasonal activity, late November - early December, the intensity with which is carried out has increased significantly with an unknown effect on Mexico’s temperate forests. To determine the effects of this activity on the seed bank, germination, and establishment of the endangered species Abies hickelii, 80 plots of 1m2 were established and 50% of their moss cover was removed when communities do it, using their traditional techniques. Seed removal was evaluated during moss layer extraction and at the end of the seed dispersal period. The germination and establishment of seedlings where evaluated 3,6,9,12, and18 months after the establishment of the experiment. The moss layer removal did not affect the seed bank since the extraction takes place a few weeks before the peak of A. hickelii seed dispersal. There was a significant increase in germination on plots where the moss layer was removed. Mortality of seedling showed a peak during the dry season on all plots and during the winters on plots with removed moss layer, which indicates a protecting role of the moss layer against frosts but offered no protection against water deficiency. After two years, there was a positive effect on the establishment of seedlings on plots where the moss layer was removed. Our findings suggest that the traditional exploitation of moss during Christmas celebrations has a positive effect on the germination and establishment of A. hickelii. However, we recommend extracting a maximum of 50% of the moss and carrying out this activity in deferred years to allow the moss layer to recover its coverage and do not affect other species seed bank.

Arid ecosystems are characteristically unpredictable, with pulses of rainfall and productivity impacting on consumers’ life history and survivorship. Here, we assessed how the variation of food availability affects arid-zone birds in Australia, quantifying the time lags between erratic greening events and occurrence patterns of different feeding guilds. Four permanent acoustic monitoring stations at Sturt National Park, north-western of New South Wales, were deployed in 2014, and have been continuously recording all human-audible sounds since then. Five-year continual datasets would be sampled and analysed to determine the occurrence patterns of selected bird species, both in the overall region and along each creek-line. For selected species, calling rates would also be measured, enabling the assessment of potential determinants of detectability. By estimating ecosystem productivity using remotely sensed data and measuring Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values, responses of species and ecological groups to precipitation events would be evaluated, comparing dietary composition with observed lag times.

Land surface phenology (LSP), the study of seasonal dynamics of vegetated land surfaces from remote sensing, reflects response of ecosystems to climate change. Phenological shifts have substantial impacts on ecosystem function, biodiversity, and carbon budgets at multiple scales. The global Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Cover Dynamics Product (MCD12Q2) was developed to characterize the LSP of global ecosystems, but it failed to provide well-defined spatial pattern of LSP for arid and semi-arid areas in Australia, which may be related to climatic variability causing high LSP variability. In contribution to AusCover/Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), we developed the Australian LSP Product to suit Australian conditions – highly variable and extreme climate seasonality, as well as inter-annual variability. Using MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data, we have produced national maps of phenological metrics at 500m spatial resolution from 2003 to 2018, including the first and second minimum point, start, peak, end, length, and amplitude of the season. Integrated EVI under the curve between the start and end of the season time of each season is calculated as a proxy of productivity. Future plans are to develop 10-30m versions at select areas using Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery, as well as a geostationary daily phenology product. A network of field phenocams is currently being deployed across major biomes for validation and scaling. From quantifying ecosystem resilience to climate change, bushfire fuel accumulation, vegetation condition, and airborne allergens to informing agricultural management decisions and crop yields, the product’s list of real-world applications are endless.

Swamp environments are ecologically important areas found throughout the world. These ecosystems carry out essential services which support life on Earth, including; nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and hydrological functions. For these services to function correctly they depend on a healthy diversity of plant, animal and microbial life. Within the Sydney Basin Bioregion, several swamps ecosystems are currently listed as Vulnerable or Endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, with some of the main threats due to land clearing, mining and the invasion of exotic species.

When developing management and conservation strategies for threatened environments, a biodiversity assessment is one of the first steps to help inform our understanding of how an ecosystem is functioning. Advances in environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has allowed for these assessments to be carried out over large areas, providing accurate identification across multiple taxa simultaneously. This research used eDNA methods to analyse sediment samples (n=220) collected from 10 swamps in the Blue Mountains National Park, Upper Nepean Conservation Area and Budderoo National Park. High-throughput sequencing and metabarcoding techniques were used to explore the diversity determined by 16S, 18S and CO1 gene profiling, in an aim to characterise each swamps uniqueness in terms of biodiversity and community structure. This research will be used to help local and government stakeholders to monitor, protect and manage these vulnerable ecosystems.

Monitoring of threatened populations is necessary to determine when intervention or management strategies should be implemented or adjusted. With limited resources (financial and human) typically available for conservation initiatives, management actions must produce the best possible outcomes per funds invested. Therefore, monitoring objectives must yield the most accurate data while minimising impact on the target species for the lowest possible monetary cost.
Our study provides a framework for selecting the most practical monitoring method for vocal species. Options for surveying vocal species may involve traditional methods such as point counts and listening posts, or newer methods such as automated acoustic recorders. Several factors must be taken into account when selecting a survey method for a vocal species within a given habitat. Factors include: the survey objective (e.g. abundance estimate, an index such as vocal activity, presence-absence data, etc), available funding, human resources (number of skilled surveyors available), sensitivity of species to disturbance (e.g. repeated visits by surveyors) and the vocalisation characteristics of the species in question.
This initiative delineates the stages of selecting the most suitable method for the species and situation in question. The survey selection process borrows certain elements of decision science and priority threat management and incorporates cost-benefit analyses. By considering costs (equipment and man-hours), benefits (accuracy, minimised impact on species, minimised observer bias), calling characteristics of the targeted species and feasibility (the probability of success), our holistic approach offers a novel and pragmatic guide for selecting appropriate survey methods.

In temperate Australian grasslands, disturbance is considered essential to maintain plant diversity. However, to manage grasslands appropriately we must also consider the habitat requirements of grassland fauna. Grassland structure—the horizontal and vertical arrangement of grassland elements—is a key attribute of grasslands that determines habitat suitability for grassland fauna. Some grassland birds prefer short and sparse grassland while others use denser, closed swards. Reptiles typically require a grass canopy to avoid heat stress and predation, but also need a degree of canopy openness to permit sufficient sunlight for metabolic function. At landscape-scales, a range of different sward structures is required to maintain habitat for a range of different species. Some fauna species, however, respond to habitat elements not related to grassland structure, such as soil cracks, holes excavated by arthropods, or the presence of particular food plant species. We suggest that more research is needed to understand the relationship between fauna diversity and grassland structure, and how habitat diversity and disturbances might affect grassland food webs. We present a poster that provides a visual guide to our current understanding of the resources used by different grassland fauna. The poster summarises one section of our recent review of the role of disturbance in grasslands. The poster gives the viewer a ground-level perspective of a grassland, to promote engagement and appreciation of these often-misunderstood ecosystems, and the diversity of plants and animals of which they are comprised.

Understanding spatial changes in species richness is integral to ecology, conservation and biogeography. We undertook a large-scale analysis of spider occurrence records throughout the eastern states of Australia (New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria). The geographic area was divided into a grid of quarter degree cells. Raw and extrapolated richness was determined for each cell using two different estimators, Chao 1 and Squares. The former being well established and the latter a newer estimator that accounts for evenness. Climate and environmental data for each grid cell were compared to extrapolated richness by way of a factor analysis. Temperature, precipitation, elevation and seasonality of temperature and precipitation were among those analysed. The key factors affecting richness are the actual level of precipitation and the seasonality of precipitation. While areas of higher temperature seasonality drove this signal down. There is a gradual drop in both raw and extrapolated richness at higher latitudes. Spiders as a group are highly vulnerable to desiccation. Therefore, it is logical that areas of high precipitation consistently have high richness. Areas with highly seasonal precipitation are also higher in richness, suggesting a faunal changeover between seasons in more monsoonal environments.

Reintroductions and translocations are becoming increasingly common conservation strategies, particularly within Australia. Improving the efficacy of these methods is an area of research currently gaining momentum within the ecological community. An area yet to be fully explored is the effect that different management actions have on the genetics of a species undergoing reintroduction.

The Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary, an ‘outdoor laboratory’ that forms part of the Mulligans Flats-Goorooyarroo Woodland Experiment, provides near-perfect case studies for reintroduction genetic research. These cases are that of the Eastern Bettong (Bettongia gaimardi), Eastern Quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), and New Holland Mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae). Each species was locally extinct in the ACT, and has been successfully re-established within the sanctuary (Eastern Bettong, Eastern Quoll), or successfully bred in captivity pending release (New Holland Mouse). Each of these mammals has faced different challenges throughout the reintroduction process, which have been met with a range of management decisions and will provide insight into the reality of populations undergoing reintroduction for conservation.

By using the genetic samples collected throughout the reintroduction and post-release monitoring of the study species, I will investigate patterns of genetic change over time within Mulligans Flats Woodland Sanctuary. I will focus on the effect of founder numbers, staggered translocations, and assess source diversity representation based on ‘Rule of Thumb’ approaches, in addition to challenge-specific investigations for each species. This will allow me to create recommendations for approaching species reintroductions across a suite of situations, and meaningfully contribute to the conservation decision making process.

Pumice rafts formed from the eruption of submarine volcanoes produce trillions of individual pumice stones at the same time and place with similar underlying structure and chemistry. Results from 400 pumice clasts collected from 28 sites and 3 climatic zones have shown that older pumice clasts have more species and at the same time increased functional diversity. Here we examined how the functional diversity of pumice-rafted communities changed in relation to latitudinal change as well as the presence of a foundation species. Our findings indicate that not only did pumice-rafted functional diversity change in relationship to latitudinal environmental gradients but depended strongly on the presence of key foundation species such as barnacles of species Lepas. Pumice rafting transports literally trillions of marine invertebrates throughout the Pacific. Yet we are only just beginning to understand the conservation implications of this phenomenon, to for example, transport both marine pests and restorative biota and how this relates to shallow marine ecosystem connectivity and function.

Australia is losing its biodiversity at an alarming rate due to habitat loss and, particularly, invasive species. This project will assess the changes in the mammal community structure and function at a landscape scale along a gradient of land-use intensification in Tasmania, prioritizing native-invasive species interactions. We will test the hypothesis that at a greater land-use intensity is related to 1. higher densities of invasive species; 2. higher stress levels in native species; 3. an increase in resource competition between native and invasive species leading to changes in the diet of native species, and 4. a higher risk of disease spillover. All of these ultimately influence community structure.
This study will be conducted state-wide. Each gradient will be formed by three landscapes with a different mosaic of land-use intensity. Species composition and relative abundance in each landscape will be obtained through camera traps, while live-trapping will provide fecal and blood samples to measure chronic stress levels, disease spillover, competition and diet across the gradient.
We aim to understand how different mammal populations respond to changes in landscape and the mechanisms that underlie such responses. Finally, as each landscape represents a mosaic of different land uses, our purpose is to further identify which landscape mosaics favour native over invasive species.

Over half of the total land area of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is designated as nature reserve, which is managed for conservation outcomes by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service. In the highly urbanised Capital, a network of Canberra Nature Parks and Environmental Offset Areas captures a vast range of biodiversity values, including substantial portions of two of Australia’s most endangered ecological communities: Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Natural Temperate Grassland. Protection of these values relies on smart and rapid management that addresses contemporary, emerging and interacting threats to biodiversity.

To improve the effectiveness of our management, the ACT Government developed an overarching ecosystem condition monitoring framework – the Conservation Effectiveness Monitoring Program (CEMP). To inform the CEMP, we collect data on threatened species (Striped Legless Lizard, Golden Sun Moth and Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon) and measure environmental variables (such as vegetation cover, grass height, weed density, and woody debris) that can be manipulated by managers to improve ecosystem integrity. Starting in 2018, we have completed baseline surveys at over 500 permanent monitoring plots using consistent survey methods.

Over the next ten years, ecologists will work closely with land managers in gathering timely ecological evidence to inform robust conservation decisions within an adaptive management framework. Among our many conservation objectives, we seek to achieve demonstrable outcomes toward threatened species recovery.

Monitoring animals in Australia’s deserts is challenging. As a result we know little about regional and national trends in distribution, abundance and conservation status of many threatened and culturally significant animals in the remote deserts, and we also lack information on the distribution of threats. Sandplot methods, where tracking information is collected in a standardised way, is a blend of Indigenous tracking skills and ecological science. Many Indigenous ranger groups, arid zone ecologists, NGOs, and government agencies have surveyed many thousands of sites using sandplot survey methods. These data have never been collated. The Threatened Species Recovery Hub is working with over 40 groups that have track data, to collate these data into a single database, and analyse this information to answer questions important to land managers. The project aims to create regional and national distribution maps of desert species and their threats; to identify important areas for conservation actions; and to provide advice on the future design of sandplot monitoring to answer questions about the effectiveness of management at the local, regional and national scale. The information generated by the project will aid species recovery programs, encourage improved monitoring programs. The project will also showcase and celebrate the management and monitoring work being carried out by many groups, especially Indigenous groups, across vast areas of Australia.

The physiological and behavioural responses to thermal stress are fundamental for determining the ability of species to survive the extreme weather events which are predicted to become more frequent in the context of climate change. It is therefore vital to understand the behavioural and physiological mechanisms species use to cope with high temperatures. Yet to date, we know very little about the effects of high temperatures on the key components of fitness, such as avian incubation behaviour and the consequences for the developing embryos. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is an opportunistically breeding bird of the Australian arid zone, characterised by highly unpredictable ecological conditions spatially and temporally. Here, we sought to address the integrated responses of both parents and offspring to elevated ambient temperatures during incubation. We have developed a qPCR assay to quantify expression of 5 different inducible and constitutive heat shock protein (hsps) genes, the expression of which would help embryos withstand periods of thermal stress. Specifically, we quantified whether embryonic expression of these hsp genes increased with temperature. Here we present initial data from this study demonstrating the response of embryonic finches to thermal stress for the first time in any passerine embryo. Furthermore, in terms of parental responses to thermal extremes, we will test if patterns of parental incubation behaviour change with temperature. Ultimately will seek to quantify the potential for transgenerational programming through changes to parental behaviour and embryonic gene expression, which may allow for rapid evolutionary changes in response to a warming world.

Performance of insects is largely dependent on ambient temperature. Predictions are that, the future will be warmer and drier, leading to prolong high temperature events on land, which will increase insects to heat events and therefore modify population dynamics by influencing life history traits. In this experiment, pupae were subjected to heat temperature treatments of 43oC and 44.2oC. In each temperature treatment, pupae was exposed to either a single prolong three hour heating event, or three one hour heating events with a recovery period of 24 hours between bouts, to determine the impact of the different heat stress regimes on days to emergence, adult appearance and reproduction of emerged adults. The results showed that, adults in the heat stressed groups had extended days to emergence and extended life span. Females were more sensitive to heat stress than males, even though the was no significant difference between them. Pre-oviposition as well as oviposition periods were extended in the heat stressed females. Fecundity was drastically reduced in heat stressed females compared to their counterparts in the control group. In addition, we found that, no eggs from females in the stressed groups hatched. Heat stress was detrimental to the development of adults, as more deformities were observed in the heat stressed groups. We establish that, heat stress can influence the population dynamics of H. punctigera by reducing fecundity, egg hatchability, extending pre oviposition period and affecting adult development.

The IPBES 2019 global assessment reports flood mitigation as one of the most impacted ecosystem services worldwide. Clearing and land conversion to intensive land uses is a widely recognised driver reducing the capacity of natural systems to meet human demands. Yet, few studies explicitly link land use change to impacts on ecosystem service distribution for different sectors of the population; a requirement for identifying social inequalities. This talk presents our results showing impacts across time (2002-2015) in the distribution of flood regulation associated to land use change and state-wide clearing policy reforms for three local beneficiaries. Our study area comprises the Brigalow Belt Bioregion in Queensland, Australia, one of the most cleared regions of the state. We found a decrease in ecosystem service value of 5% for urban residents, 12% for rural and remote communities and 14% for the food production sector. Flood regulation service was assessed considering the supply, demand and flow components of ecosystem services using the Quick flow index from the InVEST Seasonal Water Yield model, spatial analysis packages in R, and ArcGIS 10.5. Our results pinpoint the economic and social impacts across a range of beneficiaries from the decreased capacity of ecosystems to mitigate the intensity of flood events due to forest loss. This is locally relevant in light of the continuous pressure from mining and grazing expansion in the area. Our approach is also useful to identity and address inequalities among people in management and decision making for ecosystem services.

The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is Australia’s largest repository of biodiversity occurrence data. Working in collaboration with environmental DNA (eDNA) research groups in CSIRO, BioPlatforms Australia and industry, the ALA is exploring how to best incorporate eDNA derived occurrence data into its platform and make it available to users.
As the cost of DNA sequencing drops significantly, the use of eDNA survey techniques is quickly becoming a popular choice for many biodiversity management organisations. eDNA delivers several advantages to data aggregators such as the ALA, including: a source of both species interaction and (depending on survey design) absence data, and filling data gaps both spatially and taxonomically. But this data is not without challenges. Given that eDNA survey techniques are still maturing, getting the right metadata standards and vocabularies is crucial. The development of more accurate and comprehensive taxonomic reference libraries is also progressing and will ultimately improve data quality, but aggregators need to accommodate eDNA survey data now that will not be reprocessed against the new libraries once submitted.
This presentation will explore work needed on standards, vocabularies and metadata requirements; and enhancements to the ALA user interface providing users with specific information on data returned by searches including its source.

Global increases in the intensity and frequency of ecological disturbances are driving major changes to the structure and function of forests. However, the impacts of disturbance on highly-functional, below-ground fungal communities are largely unknown. Here, we used DNA and RNA metabarcoding across two soil depths to explore how these often-cryptic communities are influenced by disturbances differing in intensity and frequency in some of the world’s tallest and most carbon-dense forests, the Mountain Ash forests of south-eastern Australia. Fire and clearcut logging altered the composition of fungal communities for at least 34 years post-disturbance, much longer than previously recognized. The composition of fungal communities differed between logged forest and forest burned by wildfire alone: clearcut logged forests had a lower abundance and richness of symbiotrophic fungi, relative to unlogged forest; post-fire salvage logged forests had a higher richness of pathotrophic fungi, relative to unlogged forest; and forests burnt three times had a lower abundance of saprotrophic fungi, relative to forests burnt once. Disturbance impacts were evident across both RNA and DNA-derived datasets, strengthening our findings that both active and potentially inactive fungal communities are significantly altered by disturbance. Our study shows that novel, disturbance-driven changes to fungal communities have implications for the diversity and function of forest ecosystems. In a period of rapid, global environmental change, with disturbances predicted to increase and intensify, it is critical to quantify the impact of altered disturbance regimes on both above and below-ground biodiversity to maintain ecological functions and to provide for forest management.

Seed germination is required to assess the response of seeds to ex situ seedbanking conditions. If seed dormancy prevents germination, then the effect of storage conditions on seeds will be unknown. The capacity to predict dormancy is therefore critical, especially to plan germination tests for species that have low seed numbers, which is often the case for many rainforest species. Seed dormancy patterns have been well studied for widespread tropical evergreen rainforests, where non-dormancy is common. In contrast, dormancy is reported in pioneer rainforest species as a mechanism for delaying germination until canopy gap formation. How such patterns found globally may be representative of Australian rainforests, which occur throughout wet tropics and sub-tropics, as well as drier temperate regions, is not yet well studied. We tested the relationship between dormancy and rainforest type (wet versus seasonally dry), successional guild and seed size, by compiling data from the literature or laboratory experiments for 44 Australian rainforest species from the Rutaceae family. Dormancy patterns were clearly different between rainforest types, with wet rainforests similar to reports for tropical evergreen rainforest. However, dormancy was prominent in dry rainforests irrespective of successional guild, indicating a mechanism to avoid dry periods. Dormant seeds were also smaller. Overall our results showed that dormancy patterns often assumed for rainforest species, perhaps indicative of the large number of tropical rainforest studies, are not applicable to Australian rainforests. Rainforest type and seed size could be considered as useful predictors for planning germination tests for ex situ seedbanking.

Restoration of degraded landscapes has become increasingly important for conservation of species and their habitats owing to past and on-going habitat destruction and rapid environmental change. In particular, ecological restoration of unproductive or over-cleared agricultural landscapes is an increasing focus as agricultural land abandonment increases in the developed world. Studies examining outcomes of ecological restoration predominantly focus on vegetation and biodiversity related outcomes. Soil-related changes are often thought to follow as a result of ecological restoration, but few studies systematically measure changes in soil chemical or biophysical condition directly. We conducted a global meta-analysis of published studies to assess the effects on soil properties of restoring land that was previously used for agriculture. Studies were included if the site had been either cropped or grazed, restoration was either active (planting) or passive (abandonment) and if measurements of soil chemical and/or physical properties were reported either as raw data or as means including variance estimates. We compared restoration outcomes to the degraded system (cropped/grazed site) and to a reference system.

Preliminary results show that soil condition improved most significantly in the top-soil (0-20cm). Planting of exotic and native species both enhanced soil conditions significantly, although planting native species achieved a slightly better outcome.

The Ranger uranium mine (RUM), surrounded by Kakadu National Park (KNP), is scheduled to close in 2026, with mining of stockpiles to cease in 2021. Under legislation, the operators are required to establish an ecosystem similar to those in adjacent areas of KNP. The Australian Government’s Supervising Scientist Branch (SSB) have developed a standard for ecosystem restoration against which the success of restoration can be assessed. Attributes such as species composition, community structure, and ecosystem function have been quantified in the surrounding savanna woodland.

Twelve permanent one-hectare plots surrounding RUM were established over two field campaigns. Using ground-based and drone survey methods, a range of data was collected including species percent cover, stem densities, and soil samples for biogeochemical analyses.

The savanna was diverse with 291 species recorded across all 12 plots. High variability was present in both understorey and overstorey composition, with various community types observed. However, for each strata, less than 10 species accounted for greater than 70% of vegetative cover, indicating dominance of a small number of species across the landscape.

These data and derived metrics constitute the basis of SSB’s reference ecosystem, against which success of establishment on the restored mine-site, in terms of vegetation composition, structure, and function, can be assessed. Information on possible restoration trajectories and ecosystem states was also provided in these data. The metrics defining the attributes are considered interim, pending acquisition of data from landscape-scales of up to 1000 hectares using drones.

Knowledge of species’ distribution ranges and what species can be found in a particular location is fundamental to research and conservation of Australia’s unique biodiversity. Genomics-led biodiversity exploration has accelerated significantly over the last decade and has revealed large numbers of cryptic species.

However, due to limited research infrastructure, the publishing of phylogenetic data explicitly linked to updated occurrence and trait data is not easily accomplished. For example, for Australian reptiles alone, an informal 2012 survey of phylogenomic researchers from eight institutions uncovered evidence of cryptic taxa in 70% of 230 species considered; recent research in northern Australia alone has expanded this considerably. A short search of Web of Science found approximately 200 relevant phylogeographic papers for just Australian vertebrates in the last decade. This information is effectively invisible to end-users at this time.

As new phylogenomic knowledge cannot be quickly accessed by stakeholders - scientists, ecological consultants, governmental conservation agencies, NGOs and landholders - this new method of species discovery cannot be effectively used in interpretation of ecological monitoring, and targeted environmental management.

To address these challenges the Centre for Biodiversity Analysis, in collaboration with the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), are running a project to enhance functionality to ALA’s Phylolink tool, to create a publicly accessible, searchable, permanent new database for the exploration and visualisation of Australia’s most recent phylogenomic data. It will enable dynamic mapping of newly described or revised species, helping visualise the distributions, evolutionary relationships, and diagnostic traits through exploration of expert datasets.

Fire is a major disturbance to forest soil carbon (C) and nutrient cycling due to both direct and indirect impacts on physical, chemical and biological processes. The soluble organic matter fraction - dissolved organic matter (DOM) - is likely to be a sensitive indicator of biogeochemical transformations in soils after fire. However, while DOM is generally considered the most active fraction of soil organic matter, its composition is highly variable and remains largely undescribed for both native forests and exotic plantations. In this study, we investigated differences in chemical properties of water extractable organic matter of soils from Pinus radiata plantations and adjacent native Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest burned by wildfire in February 2019. We used fluorescence excitation-emission matrix and parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) to characterise soil DOM (0-10 cm) from burned and unburned plots three months after the fire. Preliminary findings show SOC and water-soluble OC content varied with forest type and fire, and both were significantly higher in native than pine plantations.Three fluorescent components, humic-, fulvic-, and protein-like substances, were derived from soil DOM using the PARAFAC model. However, these components were distributed differently between forest types and before and after fire. SUVA 254, E2/E3 ratio and HIX values, which serve as indicators of aromaticity, molecular weight and humification of DOM, were higher in burnt samples indicating significant changes in DOM after burning. Overall, these findings highlight the value of soil DOM characterisation to better understand the fate of DOM in forest soils after fire.

Urban bushland fragments in the Perth metropolitan area are threatened. Encroaching development, changing climate, and weed invasion now mean it is classified as endangered. How this ecosystem will be affected by these pressures is not well understood as parts of the community and their interactions are not quantified. For a ‘global biodiversity hotspot’ not much is known about Western Australia’s soil microbiota and how it influences the plant community. Therefore surprising outcomes could occur when environmental variables are changed. The difference in seasons is set to become even more stark with drier hotter summers and higher incidences of ‘freak weather events’ (such as droughts and wildfires), so more knowledge is required to accurately manage the ecosystem for it to stay as diverse as it is. This study will quantify and describe the soil microbial community and whether it is influenced by fire regime and/or herbicide application. Collecting soil samples and undertaking plant surveys would allow for a description of the soil microbial diversity (via PCR and DNA analysis) and begin to fill a knowledge gap, but also quantify how fire regime and weed invasion/management changes the soil microbia composition and thus how this influences the prevalence of symbiotic plants species. This will allow for more informed management decisions to maintain biodiversity.

High concentrations of heavy metals in soils pose a significant risk to crops grown in contaminated lands. To better understand the effects of heavy metals on seed germination of edible crop species, we compared germination responses among ten edible fruit and vegetable species to copper, zinc and lead concentrations at the current National Environment Protection Measure thresholds in domestic soils (copper 6,000 mg/kg, zinc 7,400 mg/kg, lead 300 mg/kg). The combination treatment inhibited germination for all species, with only one crop species (i.e. carrot) able to germinate under these conditions. Seed viability was higher in vegetable species with increased frequency and rate of germination compared to fruits. These results indicate that complex heavy metal contamination is likely to inhibit crop germination to a greater extent than single element contamination alone.

The increase of industrialisation, agricultural intensification and urbanisation has led to an escalation in the manufacture and use of contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) i.e. pharmaceuticals and pesticides. The constant development of such CECs has led to there being thousands of them in the market with newer varieties being added by the day. Due to their varying physiochemical properties, the sources and transport patterns of these compounds into aquatic environments makes them hard to track down and mitigate. One such source of CECs into the aquatic environment is stormwater. We have found that the urban stormwater in Elsternwick - a South Eastern suburb of Melbourne - contains a variety of CECs. Eight pharmaceuticals (atropine, caffeine, carbamazepine, cetirizine, diclofenac, fluconazole, trimethoprim, xylazine and triclosan) were detected at average concentrations of 10–100 ng/L with the exception of caffeine at 1500 ng/L. Five pesticides were also detected (atrazine, DCMU, 2,4-D, MCPA and triclopyr) at average concentrations of 60–400 ng/L. To eliminate stormwater as a possible contaminant source of these CECs we are studying a biofiltration remediation technique which is a water sensitive urban design. Biofilters comprises of permeable bioretention media topped with vegetation to maximize removal of pollutants and infiltration of stormwater [1]. We will be looking at the removal efficiency for the CECs using biofiltration systems and also looking at the ecological impact CECs may have on the denitrifying microbial community and soil respiration.

The northern quoll is a medium sized marsupial predator, and its geographic range once covered almost the entire northern third of Australia. Since European settlement in Australia, the range of northern quolls has contracted substantially, due primarily to threats such as intensified fire regimes, predation by introduced predators and the spread of toxic cane toads. The Pilbara population is one of the most significant for conservation, given it is genetically distinct from all others, and since 2010 it has been the only population yet to be exposed to the threat of cane toads. Despite the population’s importance, ecological information key to its protection such as data relating to fine scale habitat use and predator associations remain scarce. To fill these knowledge gaps, we established 184 study sites across a 15,000km2 of the Pilbara, and surveyed each for northern quolls as well introduced predators using camera trap over a period of two years. We used unique spot patterning located on the dorsal surface of northern quolls to estimate density at each site. We then used northern quoll density as a response variable to examine how biotic factors (predator presence, prey availability, vegetation), as well as abiotic factors (fire history, geology, elevation, climate) shape northern quoll habitat preferences. Our results highlight habitats where northern quolls are most vulnerable to aforementioned threats, as well habitats that are likely most crucial to population persistence.

Australia has a long legacy of below-ground mining for geological resources, predominantly metals and coal. Over the last century, mines have closed for many reasons, but there has been no comprehensive database of the locations of closed and abandoned mine sites kept for states or territories. As such, the locations of many mines have been lost from public knowledge with no way for current land managers to assess the potential risks for land and water contamination. To address this knowledge gap, we have created a new scientific framework for locating and identifying abandoned mine sites using a combination of satellite imagery, historical records, geographic evidence, and local knowledge. We tested this framework within the Newcastle, Illawarra, and Lithgow regions, all townships in New South Wales historically developed around coal mining activities. We identified a total of 61 abandoned coal mines which are currently unaccounted for in maps and mine registries. The Newcastle area holds the highest proportion of unmarked mines, with a total of 55% of all mines in the area being unmarked (N = 32) compared to marked (N = 25). Following this, the Illawarra region, with 36% of all known mines in the area being unmarked (N = 22) compared to marked (N = 38). Lastly, the Lithgow area contains 20% more unmarked mines (N = 7) than are listed on the public inventory (N = 27). These findings demonstrate our framework has utility in identifying historic and unmarked environmental hazards in both national and international contexts.

Stomata play an important role regulating the water-use efficiency (WUE) in plants, and are actively involved in the global carbon and water cycles. Several investigations in the last decades have focused on understanding the change in stomatal frequency (stomatal index and density) and stomatal shape parameters (area, perimeter, width/length of guard cells and stomatal pore) to investigate the evolutionary history of land plants, past climate conditions, and how these cuticular features related to different aspects of modern and past environments. However, none of these investigations have focused on explore the potential of geometric morphometrics to quantitatively describe the shape and size of plant stomata. This approximation can provide additional information because is well known that the size and number of stomata on the leaf, together with the anatomical features of stomata define maximum theoretical stomatal conductance.
This contribution explores the potential of morphometric geometry in combination with stomatal frequency and leaf size to quantify the stomatal variation in foliage, herbarium and subfossil leaves of the evergreen species Nothofagus dombeyi from southern Chile. This information is needed to assess whether Nothofagus leaves have can be used to infer past environmental conditions.

Plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) occur when plants cause changes in soil edaphic or biological properties that influence the subsequent growth of individuals of the same species. PSFs have been studied extensively at the plant species but how PSFs shifts in response to drought remain poorly understood. We conducted a growth chamber experiment to test the hypothesis that drought shift PSFs by disrupting plant-soil biotic interactions. We grew twelve plant species representing four plant functional groups in monocultures, and in 4-species mixtures in soils with a legacy of ambient or drought conditions (5 years) for two generations. We measured plant biomass after the feedback phase to calculate PSF. Our results indicate that PSFs were negative for C3 grasses but positive for C4 grasses under ambient conditions. Forbs showed positive PSFs while those of legumes were neutral to positive feedbacks under ambient condition. However, drought modified PSFs so that C3 grasses and forbs displayed less negative PSFs while C4 grasses and legumes showed positive PSFs. These results indicate that C3 grasses are likely to be negatively impacted by drought through increasingly negative PSFs while C4 grasses, forbs and legumes are less impacted. PSFs at the community level were positive under ambient conditions but were not significantly different from zero during drought. This indicates that drought may destabilise plant communities as positive PSFs at the community level is hypothesised to help stabilize communities. Our results conclude that PSFs are highly variable at the individual species which makes difficult to predict how communities will respond.

Automated recordings of species are increasing the capacity of researchers to sample areas for cryptic species. While it is relatively easy for researchers to accrue large datasets of recordings, these recordings are only valuable if they can be processed efficiently and effectively. Sampling of microbats have long involved automatic call recorders, with species identification from calls largely using rule-based techniques for classification, many requiring human intervention. In this study I explore the use of machine learning to identify the microbat calls in southern Victoria through automated call recordings. I used a library of 891 bat reference calls and created classification keys using two methods: a random forest model and a Bayesian network model. Both models worked well for identifying 14 of the 18 species. This was improved by grouping some species, such as the long-eared bats Nyctophilus spp., which is consistent with current methods. Two species remain difficult to identify using these models: Miniopterus orianae oceanensis and Scotorepens orion. While both techniques are useful for bat call classification, the Bayesian network is particularly valuable as it can incorporate uncertainty around a classification and can be easily updated with new data, even a single call.

As the transition zone between land and sea, inundation and drying-rewetting cycle induced by tidal action are critical processes controlling soil carbon loss in tidal salt marshes. Besides, with increasing serious eutrophication in coastal waters, exogenous nitrogen input induced by periodically tides might exert an important effect on soil carbon loss in tidal salt marshes. To date, most studies addressed the independent effects of inundation and N input on soil CO2 and CH4 emissions and soil DOC loss, but few studies have examined the interactive effect of these two factors on soil carbon loss. Here, we conducted a two-factor mesocosm experiment (simulated inundation and N input) in a tidal salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta. Two inundation frequency treatments included lunar tide (LT) and semidiurnal tide (ST), and four levels of N input were consisting of control (0μmol L-1), low-N (100 μmol L-1), medium-N (200 μmol L-1), high-N (300 μmol L-1). Our results showed that increased inundation frequency led to less CO2 emission and more CH4 emission. N input suppressed CO2 emissions in all treatments. However, N input increased CH4 emission in LT treatment but decreased CH4 emission in ST treatment. Moreover, N input changed the response of CO2 and CH4 emission rates to soil moisture variation. Soil DOC loss was significantly higher in ST treatment than in LT treatment and N input inhibited DOC loss in LT treatment. The cumulative CO2 emission was significantly positively related to soil DOC reduction in LT treatment but not in ST treatment.

Large parts of the Australian landscape have evolved under the influence of fire from natural and anthropogenic sources. In the absence of cultural burning by traditional custodians of the land, and clearing since European settlement, there are challenges to managing fire-dependent vegetation in significantly altered fire regimes.
Eurardy Reserve in mid-west Western Australia, on the country of the Nanda people, has large areas of long unburnt diverse proteaceous heathland. This vegetation contains a number of obligate seeder species which become senescent in the absence of fire for long periods. A preliminary survey of the establishment of seedlings from two species of senescent obligate seeders (Banksia sceptrum & Callitris arenaria) was undertaken in 2010 following a fire in the area.
Seedlings established in the vicinity of senescent Banksias and senescent Callitris. This suggests regeneration of these species is possible after plants have senesced.
Low survival rates of woody fruited proteaceous seedlings may lead to long term failure of these species to regenerate. Results from follow up surveys ten years post fire shows whether recruitment of these species was sufficient to replace mature plants killed by the fire and determine whether effective regeneration from senescent plants is possible. The results will be used to inform the Eurardy fire management plan by helping to determine whether, where and when management burns are required in long unburnt heathland. The results will also help to understand the effect of senescence and long fire return intervals in healthands on the margins of the south-west floristic zone.

Climate change has the capacity to increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of heatwaves around the world. Understanding the effects that multiple heatwave events can have on seed germination in plant species is critical for ensuring effective conservation of native plant communities. The focus of our study is to understand the effects of multiple heatwaves on the germination onset, duration and the total proportion of seeds that germinate after exposure to one, three or five heatwave events. A broad range of species were chosen as key representatives from the threatened ecological community, the Cumberland Plain Woodland (CPW). The native plant species from the CPW in Sydney’s west are particularly vulnerable due to the small size of remnant land left untouched by urbanisation. In this talk, I expand the knowledge base we currently have on these species’ responses to heatwave events, leading to a better understanding of which species may be susceptible to climatic change over the coming decades.

A fundamental requirement for developing natural resource management guidelines is knowledge of the current state and structure of the landscape. Airborne lidar surveys are becoming a key tool for structural assessment of large areas of forest, providing high-resolution data with a generally low cost per unit area. Maps derived from lidar data of key attributes, such as stand structural types and large potentially hollow-bearing trees, tend to be verified manually, by means of traditional plot-based structural measurement. This ground-truthing is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the maps, but the high cost per unit area of manual assessment places a constraint on the quantity of ground-truthing data that can be collected. We use simulated data to explore cost-precision relationships in plot sampling by varying plot size, number and spatial arrangement, aiming to find cost-efficient sampling strategies that can yield high precision for predictions of key forest attributes. Our study is based on existing lidar and plot data from the Central Highlands, Victoria, but the strategies developed could be transferred to other contexts, facilitating the cost-efficient assessment, using airborne lidar and manual plot sampling, of the distribution of forest types (Eucalypt, rainforest, transitional types, old growth…) and structurally significant forest components (e.g. large hollow-bearing trees) across the temperate forests of Victoria.

Nitrogen (N) input significantly regulates soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in N-limited ecosystems. We presumed that long-term N enrichment impacts on the decomposition of SOC (DSOC) though the N-mediated changes in plants and soil. This presumption was verified by field-measured plant and soil data and a 40-day laboratory incubation experiment with soils of two depths (topsoil: 0-10cm, subsoil: 10-20cm) that experienced 6 years of N input in different chemical forms (NH: ammonium, NO: nitrate and NN: ammonium plus nitrate) and levels in a coastal wetland of the Yellow River Delta. Plant biomass was measured to determine the impact of long-term N input on plant growth. Frequent measurements of microbial biomass carbon and soil gas emissions were used to quantify microbial activity and DSOC, respectively. Our results revealed powerful evidence for the stimulation on DSOC by long-term N enrichment in different chemical forms and levels. We found significant but varied changes of soil carbon pools and plant biomass under varying N input. The NN treatments stimulated DSOC primarily by increasing microbial biomass and activity, while the stimulation on DSOC was based on synthetic effects of increase of soil available C source and microbes. The optimal levels of N input to maximize the rate of DSOC were both N-form and soil-depth dependent. Our findings suggested that the stimulation of DSOC by long-term N inputs in coastal wetlands was associated with N-related changes in plants and soil, which is enlightening for the evaluation of carbon sequestration under future N deposition scenario.

Sydney Olympic Park’s flora and fauna have survived many changes of land use since European settlement. Most of the Park’s landscapes and habitats are young and evolving – being constructed and planted only within the last 20 years as part of a large-scale urban renewal project triggered by the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Over 300 hectares of the Park is now managed for biodiversity values, supporting over 250 wildlife species and three endangered ecological communities. This high species diversity and abundance in the geographic centre of Sydney contributes to Sydney Olympic Park’s high ecological, aesthetic and educational values, with over 2.8 million people and 25,000 students visiting the Parklands every year.
Conserving the Park’s biodiversity assets presents unique challenges in integrating conservation, asset management and visitation. The small size and rewilded nature of the Park’s habitats mean that conservation of their ecological values requires ongoing active and adaptive management, and multidisciplinary collaboration. A comprehensive management plan applies to the whole of the Park, and thirteen species and communities are the focus of detailed management strategies. Ecological monitoring programs and investigations support management programs and assess response to management actions.

Herbivorous insects account for over 25% of plant and animal species in the world and have been locked in an evolutionary arms race with the plants they consume for over 300 million years. In particular, plants use a vast array of defences against herbivores to which herbivores continually adapt to. Many plants acquire silicon (Si) from the soil which can be deposited within and between plant tissues. Silicification can make plant tissues rigid and tough as well fortifying physical structures (e.g. spines, hairs and phytoliths). These changes can create a formidable physical barrier against invading herbivores. In addition to these direct defences, a few studies have also reported enhanced levels of attraction of natural enemies to Si supplemented plants under herbivore attack (e.g. indirect defence). The underlying mechanisms remain unclear but most likely involve Si-induced changes to the production of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) which attract natural enemies. This poster reports how Si affects direct defences against the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and the light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) feeding on cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), respectively. We also report how Si affects HIPVs and how this relates to a natural enemy (Goniozus jacintae) of E. postvittana. In short, is it better to deploy direct (toughening up) or indirect (cry for help) for herbivore defence?

The Wyong Sun-Orchid Thelymitra adorata is a critically endangered species with a highly restricted distribution in the Wyong Local Government Area, NSW Central Coast. The species is estimated to have less than six populations, with a combined total of less than 200 mature plants. The mycorrhizal associations and ex-situ propagation techniques of Thelymitra adorata are currently unknown, however, mycorrhizal association and seed germination trials are listed as research priorities for the conservation of this species. In this study we isolated mycorrhizal fungi through root isolations and peloton rinsing. We sequenced the ITS region known to be taxonomically informative for Tulasnella to determine the specificity of the mycorrhizal associations for this species. We confirm mycorrhizal associations through germination trials of T. adorata across various symbiotic and asymbiotic growth media. Preliminary results show preference of particular symbiotic media and fungal isolates for successful seed germination. These results have implications for conservation efforts, effectively increasing numbers for ex-situ collections and reintroduction programs. Long-term seed and fungal storage, as well as the development of a successful ex-situ collection is a primary conservation objective to mitigate major threats currently facing this species.

The 2009 Black Saturday bushfire was one of Australia’s most catastrophic fire events, burning 450,000 hectares in Victoria’s Central Highlands. While many areas in the fire footprint experienced severe crown loss, there was considerable variability across the landscape. This resulted in a spatially heterogenous arrangement of complex forest structures.

To quantify the range of forest structures and their spatial arrangement within the fire boundary, we compared metrics derived from LiDAR data collected in 2007 and 2015. This allowed us to categorise the unique structures that developed post-fire, assess the spatial variability in severity and structural variability, and quantify the relative abundance of different types of structures. LiDAR provides an effective, high-resolution method to analyze vertical forest structure across extensive areas, allowing us to connect structural information with landform, microclimate, and vegetation.

Understanding the variation within an extensive, catastrophic fire provides valuable insights into stand dynamics in fire-affected systems. These can be used to guide management strategies that more closely resemble the impacts of natural disturbances at both the stand and landscape scales.

Conserving biodiversity under shifting climate, species distribution, or land development pattern requires flexible adaptation of management programs over space and time. Such flexibility needs are critical to site-based conservation planning. Permanent conservation instruments (e.g. protected area, easement) provide long-lasting protection but are difficult to degazette and relocate. Temporary instruments (e.g. fixed-term contracts) offer flexibility but suffer risks of stakeholder/land owner withdrawal. How these instruments should be implemented on a changing landscape is complicated by trade-offs between current and future conservation needs, annual budget limits, and uncertain future priority shifts. Using a Markov Decision Process model of three subregions on a hypothetical landscape, we demonstrate the optimal usage of both instrument types under development pressure and stochastic, directional shifts in habitat quality (e.g. shifting climate envelop). Strategic use of short-term contracts alongside permanent easements can secure land of future importance before uncertain future resolved and expensive permanent easements deployed, and can improve expected conservation gains while avoiding large regrets compared to investing budgets only in either instruments. Value of mixing temporary and permanent instruments is greatest when aiming at cumulative biodiversity benefits over time, especially for ensuring successful range shift of conservation assets. We provide decision-support insights on where and when permanent and temporary conservation instruments are most needed across landscape based on risks of land loss, risks of temporary contracts, and management objectives. Such spatial-temporal portfolio approach is worth considering for agencies lacking budget to protect current and future priority sites all at once.

Thermal tolerance has far-reaching implications for the persistence and distribution of plants as the climate continues to warm and generate more stochastic extreme temperature events. Leaves that experience temperature extremes accumulate damage to photosystem II (PSII), a temperature-sensitive part of the photosynthetic apparatus. By measuring temperature-dependent changes in basal chlorophyll fluorescence (T-F₀), we can identify the threshold or critical temperature at which PSII incurs significant damage. To achieve pragmatic measures of thermal tolerance that are biologically realistic requires an understanding of how variables that the researcher can control affect the critical temperature parameter. Therefore, we investigated how robust critical temperature thresholds (CTmin/CTmax) are when varying ambient and actinic light sources, and wetness of the leaves, using an ImagingPAM chlorophyll fluorometer and thermoelectric plates to ramp leaf temperatures to either extreme cold (-20°C) or heat (70°C). Ongoing work will also explore temperature ramp speed. We tested these sources of variation across four species with a range of sclerophyllous, waxy, and soft leaf forms: Callistemon subulatus, Escallonia rubra, Quercus phellos, and Wahlenbergia ceracea. The T-F₀ curves generated with either ambient or actinic lights frequently produced unreliable estimates compared to when leaves were measured in darkness. CTmax estimates were not different for leaves measured on wet or dry filter paper, but CTmin estimates were different, however the direction of the effect was dependent on the species. Chlorophyll fluorometry can be an effective tool for researching thermal tolerance, but many variables need to be carefully considered if such measures are to be widely comparable.

Insufficient knowledge of species’ ecology limits our capacity to develop effective conservation management plans. While reptiles are in decline worldwide, they are one of the least well-known vertebrate groups. Species distribution models (SDMs) can play a key role in supporting conservation by providing insights into the factors driving species’ occurrence. Biophysical factors, including rainfall, temperature and soil type, are known to influence reptile species distributions at large spatial scales. However, a variety of other processes including landscape change are also predicted to influence reptiles. Combining biophysical variables with other drivers should improve the predictive accuracy of SDMs and improve conservation efforts.
Landscape modification and fragmentation are considered global threats to biodiversity, by reducing habitat availability, quality and connectivity. Victoria is Australia’s most densely populated state, and it is estimated that total extent of the state’s native vegetation has been reduced by around 50% since European colonization. Reptiles may be particularly sensitive to fragmentation due to their limited dispersal. Therefore conservation of reptiles in fragmented landscapes is likely to benefit from SDMs that include both fragmentation and biophysical variables.
The aim of this study is to model reptile species distributions across Victoria using a combination of biophysical variables and variables representing the structure and context of the landscape. In this speed talk and poster, we will present results of the modelling for terrestrial reptiles in Victoria using data obtained from the Victorian Biodiversity Database. Outcomes of this study will improve our understanding of drivers influencing reptile species distributions in fragmented landscapes.

Fire is an important ecological driver and widely used land management tool that alters faunal habitat by changing resources. Ecological fire management in Australia has been based on the assumption that fauna will have a strong relationship with flora and its response in a post-fire environment. However, compared to plants, faunal needs are different and largely related to structural attributes in the environment and availability of resources. Specifically, small mammals, depend on key spatial and temporal features derived from vegetation communities such as logs, hollows and food compared to the availability of plant species per se. Insufficient knowledge on links between resource availability, fire attributes, and small mammals limits effective management plans for species conservation. Studies have investigated patterns of abundance and occurrence with time since last fire, but causative relationships driving post-fire changes with respect to resources such as invertebrates have been given little attention comparatively. In this project, I will investigate mechanistic links between habitat resources and small mammal species persistence in different post-fire successional stages within south-Western Victoria. Approaches will include (i) Elliott trapping and habitat assessment at a broad scale to determine resources driving animal occurrence, (ii) spool line tracking and radio telemetry to determine resources critical for persistence at fine scale by carrying out a resource manipulation study and (iii) using DNA metabarcoding to analyse diet. This research will provide critical ecological information on locally significant small mammal species, assisting in developing ecologically sensitive fire management plans.