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Carbon capture and dissemination amongst mangrove forests. (Old ID 27216)
The aim of this project is to provide the Department, including its specified experts and consultants, with key unpublished and published field data collected by Dr Duke and MangroveWatch - based on broadly defined parameters for carbon capture and dissemination amongst mangrove forests. These data have been gathered over three decades and relate to the significant mangrove ecosystem.
Geospatial analysis and modelling support. (Old ID 27234)
One of the major inequities in delivery of health services and of health outcomes occurs at a subnational level with more remote parts of countries suffering poorer health outcomes and lower levels of services. For many diseases, including TB, this is made more difficult to assess owing to poor surveillance infrastructure in remote communities. Hence there are an estimated 3 million missing cases of tuberculosis each year. This can be addressed by geospatial analysis and modelling to identify hidden hotspots and areas of need. Increasingly, more unified and complete data collection systems are in place (DHIS2) allowing geospatial analysis of data sources for facility-based and community-based activities. Understanding the health systems along which these operate; such as referral pathways, and patient/medication/service transport networks allows for simulation of new programs.
Biosecurity in northern Australian prawn aquaculture (Old ID 25021)
This project addresses biosecurity risk through conducting the first comprehensive and widespread biosecurity audit of Australian prawn farms. This project has two components. The first is to conduct a biosecurity metanalysis using traditional and molecular diagnostic tools to establish what pathogens currently occur on prawn farms and how they relate to productivity. Secondly, once the pathobiome is established the project will formulate a risk management strategy for industry and provide on-farm biosecurity training. Understanding the risk of disease, and increased capacity to detect and monitor on-farm, will lead to more effective management practices for northern Australian prawn aquaculture.
A student-led service model to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults in East Arnhem (Old ID 26276)
Older persons from remote Aboriginal communities experience disabling consequences of chronic diseases at a disproportionally higher rate than mainstream Australians (Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 2017). Paradoxically, there is limited and fluctuating availability of allied health professional (Battye & McTaggart, 2003) services to support them. The primary aim of this study is to pilot a student-led service model to improve the health and wellbeing of older persons from East Arnhem who live with the disabling consequences of chronic diseases. The Triple Aim framework will be used to determine health benefits in terms of a) older persons, family and community satisfaction b) health outcomes and c) cost. The secondary aim is to collect preliminary data on the feasibility of the service model and trial protocol within the remote community context. This project will lead to development of a specific protocol for a proposed full-scale multi-site project across northern Australia.
Geology and ore genesis of the Dover Castle Sn + polymetallic ore field, North Queensland (Old ID 26398)
Recent exploration work in the Dover Castle mining district in North Queensland has defined economically significant polymetallic (Sn-W-Zn-Ag-Pb-In) resources. Geological understanding of how these diverse metal associations occur at economic levels is currently poor, as is the knowledge of potential for further minerlisation at depth. This project will provide crucial baseline geological data, including geochronology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and igneous and hydrothermal alternation characterisation, to better understand the origin of the mineralisation, and the geological controls on its location. This project outcomes will allow more focussed mineral exploration targeting to improve the probability of discovery of further economically significant resources.
Restoring Seagrasses and their Blue Carbon in the Wet Tropics region of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (Old ID 27910)
Our project team will restore tropical seagrass meadows in far north Queensland and monitor their recovery as well as the response of important ecosystem services they provide. The foundation seagrass species at Mourilyan Harbour disappeared in 2010 following consecutive storm and flood events and has not returned naturally due to isolation from other populations. Recent pilot studies have successfully trialled methods demonstrating seagrass survival and growth more than 12 months after planting. Our Team comprises marine scientists, Indigenous rangers and recreational fishing volunteers. The restoration of these habitats should restore ecosystem functions and services such as the capture and storage of blue carbon, increased biodiversity including economically-important fish, prawn and crab species, improved water quality by trapping sediments and nutrients and enhanced cultural links for Indigenous communities by returning feeding grounds for dugong and turtles.
Mapping of Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Prevalence in Papua New Guinea (PNG). (Old ID 28943)
Malaria and LF are co-endemic and transmitted by the same vectors in PNG. It is likely that integrated surveillance and control approaches are effective to reduce the burden of both diseases synergistically. The aim of the proposed study is to utilize samples collected in the most recent malaria indicator survey (MIS) in 22 PNG provinces to gain a better understanding about LF prevalence and distribution in the country. The result will be an LF prevalence map and spatial risk model to guide planning of LF surveillance, control and elimination. The spatial LF data will be complemented with in-depth surveys in key locations and detailed spatial vector control coverage data already collected in the MIS or provided by our partners.
On the evolutionary rescue of Antarctic marine fauna – did the IPCC AR6 get it right? (Old ID 29003)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR6) proposed Southern Ocean biodiversity to be rescued under designated refugia with assisted migration. These arbitrary refugia are defined by areas south of 70°S in West Antarctica, and Prydz Bay in East Antarctica. The decisions should instead be informed via species’ current genetic fitness across the Southern Ocean, a direct measure of extinction risk and success potential for assisted migration. By quantifying genetic fitness, this project 1) demonstrates whether IPCC-AR6’s conservation proposal accelerates species extinction, and 2) establishes genetic-informed refugia and translocation pathways that ensures animal evolutionary resilience under climate change.
Improving capacity for emerging infectious diseases research and surveillance in the Indo-Pacific (Old ID 29009)
Through this initiative, a One-Health approach will be used to improve emerging infectious diseases research and surveillance in a selected country in the Indo-Pacific, thereby improving national and regional biosecurity. In collaboration with an identified regional partner, a Research Fellow will be recruited to be embedded in the partner organisation to progress a co-designed research agenda, and help develop local capacity.
QRMF_DES (Old ID 31092)
Identify, review and synthesise existing prioritisation tools and update the WetlandInfo assessment toolbox with information on existing prioritisation tools.