Research Projects

Assessing recovery in threatened Australian amphibians and reptiles

01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2027

Biodiversity loss is occurring at unprecedented levels. Worldwide, human activities have ushered in the sixth mass extinction event, and driven swathes of species to the brink of extinction. In Australia, the condition of the environment is poor and declining, with the key threats to biodiversity being habitat loss, invasive species, altered fire regimes, and climate change. As a result, Australia is both a biodiversity hotspot, with 8% of the world’s species, and an extinction hotspot with 100 confirmed extinctions, and a further ~2,000 species threatened with extinction. For 60 years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species has provided the global standard approach for assessing the extinction risk of species. The IUCN Red List provides an internationally accepted language for assessing the likelihood of a species going extinct, that can be used across all plant and animal groups, and regions of Earth. Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) uses the IUCN Red List methodology to determine its list of threatened species. But whilst the IUCN Red List is an extremely effective way in which to assess a species’ risk of extinction, it was not designed to assess species recovery nor assess the value and effectiveness of conservation actions. Why is measuring species recovery important? Avoiding extinction is only the first stage of successful conservation—ultimate success requires maintaining viable and functional populations, and achieving the recovery of declining and depleted populations. Indeed, the Federal Government’s Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 is focused on more than simply preventing new extinctions, but also ensuring that threatened species are “on track for improved trajectory” (2027 Target 1). However, recent attempts to measure recovery of the Australian fauna, using de-listing under IUCN Red List criteria as a proxy for recovery, have proved extremely controversial. Crucially, we argue that this is because such studies have been using the wrong approach to measure species recovery. In fact, there is a much more meaningful method for measuring species recovery, recently developed and tested by the international conservation community: the IUCN’s Green Status of Species (GSS). The GSS metrics complement the IUCN Red List, extending its existing conservation language, ecological theory, and criteria to assess how far a species is from being fully recovered (Fig. 1). The GSS also provides a way to determine the benefit of past and future conservation efforts. Critically, although the GSS approach has been adopted under the international Convention on Biological Diversity as a key indicator for measuring species recovery, it is yet to be integrated into the Australian EPBC Act or state-based conservation policy, nor any other country’s legislation.

Evaluation of student-led community rehabilitation and lifestyle service and Implementation of Nasal High Flow (Old ID 27090)

Alice Cairns

17 Dec 2020 - 30 Jun 2022

This research grant is to support two studies conducted in Weipa, Cape York. The first project is the “Evaluation and Implementation of a Student-led Community Rehabilitation and Lifestyle Service”, the second project is the “Implementation of Nasal High Flow (NHF): A remote context”. Both projects explore the effectiveness of service delivery to remote and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Both projects explore the effectiveness of the delivery of novel health care interventions. The community rehabilitation project evaluates an innovative health workforce model that is providing a service for people experiencing the impact of non-communicable diseases (chronic disease) that previously didn’t have access to community rehabilitation.

Mechanisms determining Marfan syndrome severity (Old ID 27110)

Sacha Jensen

01 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2023

Marfan syndrome (MFS), caused by defects in the protein fibrillin-1, has a wide spectrum of severity with symptoms affecting the heart, bones and eyes. The cause of this variation in severity is unclear. Severe, neonatal MFS and Beal's syndrome result from mutations in corresponding parts of the proteins fibrilin-1 and fibrillin-2. Using clues from these diseases, this project will use new cell engineering techniques to determine why some fibrillin mutations are more severe than others. The results are relevant not only to understanding MFS, but also to understanding how the tissues in our bodies are developed and maintained.

Climate Vulnerability Index Greater Blue Mountains (Old ID 27457)

Scott Heron

01 Dec 2021 - 31 Mar 2022

Globally, heritage locations are being impacted by local-scale and global-scale stressors. Climate change poses an existential threat to global heritage. With rising sea-levels, more extreme weather events and aridification, the extensive impacts of climate are evident at heritage sites globally and the pace of this change is startling. In most parts of the world the rate of loss is exceeding adaptive capacity and this deficit is only getting worse. Decisions on conservation and preservation begin with a detailed understanding of a place's vulnerability. The choices made will directly impact that ability to effectively integrate the goals of safeguarding heritage, adapting and mitigating climate change, and driving sustainable development. This project will apply aspects of the Climate Vulnerability Index process to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage property.

Conservation genomics and population status of the endangered Mahogany Gliders (Petaurus gracilis) (Old ID 27672)

Eryn Chang

30 Jun 2022 - 30 Jun 2023

Habitat loss and fragmentation have been threatening population connectivity and genetic diversity of Mahogany Gliders, a rare and endangered gliding possum endemic to the Australian Wet Tropics. Substantial habitat loss and fragmentation have brought concerns to the status of remnant populations. I will use distribution models to refine the distribution and guide camera trapping to find unknown populations. Connectivity between populations will be assessed using genomics, which also allows estimations of population structure and effective population size. Knowledge of distribution and genetics will be used to choose populations for long-term monitoring, and to guide conservation actions for Mahogany Gliders recovery.

Biosecurity and genetic improvement for disease resistance in large scale shrimp aquaculture (Old ID 27756)

Phoebe Arbon

01 Jul 2022 - 30 Nov 2022

This project aims to facilitate first-hand experience for students in international agricultural research in the Tropics. Activities will involve travel of the student, Phoebe Arbon, accompanied by Prof. Dean Jerry, to facilities including advanced selective shrimp breeding centres, aquatic viral research laboratories and, industrial-scale aquaculture farms in Thailand and Singapore. Travel to these regions presents unique opportunities to enhance Phoebe’s research experience and technical understanding of aquatic animal health, given the presence of highly pathogenic shrimp diseases and aquaculture conditions which are unparalleled in Australia. Engagement made with industry and research groups during the trip will also foster professional networks.

Alluvial Gully Remediation in the Upper Burdekin Catchment (Old ID 27857)

Jack Koci

14 Nov 2022 - 15 Jun 2026

In catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, northeast Queensland, Australia, excess sediment derived from gully erosion is contributing to poor coastal water quality. Remediating and preventing further degradation of these landscapes is a major focus of investment toward improving coastal water quality. This project will monitor and evaluate the effect of several alluvial gully remediation measures on improving water quality in the Upper Burdekin catchment. The project will provide valuable new data, knowledge and understanding of the effectiveness of these remediation approaches for landholders interested in protecting and enhancing forage productivity, and for the organisations investing in activities to reduce sediment and nutrient loads delivered to the Great Barrier Reef.

The identification and development of regional female rugby league players within an elite talent pathway. (Old ID 27917)

Wade Sinclair

31 Jan 2023 - 31 Jul 2026

With the successful emergence of the National Rugby League Women’s (NRLW) elite competition comes a necessity to better understand and prepare young women for the physical requirements needed to achieve this highest level of competition. This project will provide support to a PhD Candidate to undertake research focussing on the pathways available for young girls to progress through the elite rugby league pathway: from local and state-based competitions through to the NRLW. With a focus on the talent development environment and practices, the Candidate will conduct research whilst embedded alongside professional coaches within an elite sporting pathway.

High shear fluid flow driving carbon foundry for advanced manufacturing (Old ID 28965)

Elsa Antunes

01 Jan 2023 - 31 Dec 2025

The project aims to develop versatile continuous flow film microfluidic device technology by harnessing the contact electrification generated by sub-micron high shear topological flow, for fabricating novel nano-carbon material for which current methods are ineffective or of limited utility. This technology incorporates optional external electric and magnetic fields, and textured surfaces in the rapidly rotating tube, which will allow exquisite control, with real time monitoring, on reforming of carbon into functional material with tunable properties and fabricating hetero-structures of nano-carbon. Understanding their fundamental properties will be targeted for leveraging them in applications to generate new processes and products.

Develop an AI based zero-lag flood monitoring and reporting system (Old ID 29019)

Nico Adams

01 Jul 2023 - 30 Jun 2024

The project will marshall appropriate flood relevant data including images and process it accordingly to facilitate model building. We will then move to the development of statistical models that optimise data capture locations, accuracy, low latency through asset location while minimising deployment costs. We will subsequently design an AI means to improve current flood mapping models based on actual Lixia field water level sensor data utilising ensemble optimisatin, leading to the development of online toolsets to transmit flood level prediction information. We will also engage with regional local governments water and emergency agencies as appropriate to test and qualify minimum viable products and processes.