A5004912433- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Pasture and Agricultural Systems
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Weed Control and Herbicide Applications
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Forest ecology and management
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
The University of Western Australia
2016-2024
Charles Darwin University
2010-2023
Charles Sturt University
2012
Natural Hazards Research Australia
2006-2010
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
2006
Government of the Northern Territory
1998
Science North
1998
Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly proposed to support conservation decision making. However, evidence of SDMs supporting solutions for on-ground problems is still scarce in the scientific literature. Here, we show that successful examples exist but largely hidden grey literature, and thus less accessible analysis learning. Furthermore, framework within which used rarely made explicit. Using case studies from biological invasions, identification critical habitats, reserve...
Financial mechanisms such as offsets are one strategy to abate greenhouse gas emissions, and the carbon market is expanding with a growing demand for offset products. However, in case of offsets, if released due intentional or unintentional reversal through environmental events fire, financial liability replace lost will likely fall on provider. This may have implications future participation programmes, but common strategies buffer pool insurance products can be used minimize this...
Abstract. Invasive alien grasses can increase fuel loads, leading to changes in fire regimes of invaded ecosystems by increasing the frequency, intensity and spatial extent fires. Andropogon gayanus Kunth. (Gamba grass), a tall perennial grass from Africa, is invading Top End northern Australia. To determine whether A. alters savanna regimes, we compared loads intensities at sites with those native savannas. Savanna had up seven times higher than dominated grasses. This load supported that...
Abstract Every year large proportions of northern Australia's tropical savanna landscapes are burnt, resulting in high fire frequencies and short intervals between fires. The dominant management paradigm these regions is the use low‐intensity prescribed early dry season, to reduce incidence higher‐intensity, more extensive wildfire later year. This frequent mitigate against high‐intensity has parallels with temperate forests southern Australia. However, unlike Australia, ecological...
Abstract Globally, collapse of ecosystems—potentially irreversible change to ecosystem structure, composition and function—imperils biodiversity, human health well‐being. We examine the current state recent trajectories 19 ecosystems, spanning 58° latitude across 7.7 M km 2 , from Australia's coral reefs terrestrial Antarctica. Pressures global climate regional impacts, occurring as chronic ‘presses’ and/or acute ‘pulses’, drive collapse. Ecosystem responses 5–17 pressures were categorised...
Summary 1. We provide a brief overview of progress in our understanding introduced plant species. 2. Three main conclusions emerge from review: (i) Many lines research, including the search for traits that make species good invaders, or ecosystems susceptible to invasion, are yielding idiosyncratic results. To move forward, we advocate more synthetic approach incorporates range different types information about and communities habitats they invading. (ii) Given growing evidence adaptive...
Abstract Aim This study aimed to quantify changes in fire severity resulting from the invasion of Australia’s tropical savannas by African grass Andropogon gayanus Kunth. (gamba grass). Location Mesic Northern Territory, Australia. Method Byram’s fire‐line intensity (I f ), fuel load and architecture, two post‐fire indicators – scorch height (SH) char (CH) woody vegetation were determined for fires native savanna A. invaded savanna. Leaf is at which fire’s radiant heat browns leaf tissue,...
Invasion by the African grass Andropogon gayanus is drastically altering understory structure of oligotrophic savannas in tropical Australia. We compared nitrogen (N) relations and phenology A. native grasses to examine impact invasion on N cycling determine possible reasons for invasiveness gayanus. produced up 10 four times more shoot phytomass root biomass, with seven 2.5 greater pools than understory. These pronounced differences between were associated an altered cycle. Most growth...
Knowledge of flowering phenology is essential for understanding the condition forest ecosystems and responses to various anthropogenic environmental drivers. However, monitoring spatial temporal variability in at landscape scales challenging (e.g. current often highly localized in-situ or single dates). This study presents a method that combines drone satellite images (PlanetScope) can produce landscape-scale maps dynamics. demonstrated landscapes dominated by eucalypt Corymbia calophylla...
Abstract Fire is a dominant feature of tropical savannas throughout the world, and provides unique opportunity for habitat management at landscape scale. We provide background methodology landscape‐scale savanna fire experiment Kapalga, located in Kakadu National Park seasonal tropics northern Australia. The addresses limitations previous experiments, including inappropriately small sizes experimental units, lack replication, consideration narrow range ecological responses an absence...
Background Widespread invasion by non-native plants has resulted in substantial change fire-fuel characteristics and fire-behaviour many of the world's ecosystems, with a subsequent increase risk fire damage to human life, property environment. Models used management agencies assess are dependent on accurate assessments fuel but there is little evidence that they have been modified reflect landscape-scale invasions. There also paucity information documenting other changes activities occurred...
Fire managers seek accurate methods to map fire severity for forest management efforts. data with wide spatial and temporal coverage enhances understanding of fire's impact on vegetation improves planning mitigate the risk destructive wildfires. In this study, we develop a machine learning workflow that converts database known events into collection gridded maps representing levels canopy scorch due wildfires planned fuel reduction burns (prescribed burns). This uses dataset observed...
Summary Australia's savannas typically are burnt every 1–3 years. Although there concerns about the effect of frequent fire on recruitment Australian savanna species, is a lack information. This research aimed to determine whether seed or microsite availability limits seedling overstorey tree Eucalyptus miniata and midstorey shrub Acacia oncinocarpa , affected by fire, consequent recruitment. Quadrats were established in unburnt areas. Experimental manipulations addition and/or disturbance...
Abstract Despite recent evidence suggesting that groundwater inputs of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to rivers can contribute substantially the fluvial evasion dioxide (CO 2 ), is seldom integrated into budgets. Also, unclear way equilibria between CO and ionic forms carbonate will affect from rivers. We conducted longitudinal river surveys radon along two tropical Australia developed a mass balance framework assess influence groundwater‐derived buffering on rates. The mean flux totaled...
Environmental flow assessments (e-flows) are widely used within water allocation planning to address the threat rivers and human communities posed by extraction. However, conceptual models underpinning e-flows tend include only biophysical interactions, eschewing socio-cultural complexity, local knowledge, governance arrangements. These critical where Indigenous people have strong connections with knowledge contribute planning. We a transdisciplinary approach develop model of ecological...
Plant invasions can cause severe degradation of natural areas. The ability an ecosystem to recover autogenically from following weed control is in part determined by the type and magnitude changes both biotic abiotic processes caused invasion how these interact with structural functional components ecosystem. Recently, a number conceptual frameworks have been proposed describe dynamics regeneration degraded ecosystems. We assessed utility one describing restoration potential Australia's...
Abstract The structure of tropical savanna ecosystems is influenced by fire frequency and intensity. There particular interest in the extent to which long‐term exclusion can result a shift from forest vegetation that not easily reversed reintroduction fire. This study examined changes composition long‐unburnt site within northern Australian savannas following an extended period active (>20 years), effect reintroducing through experimental regimes, including fires early late dry season at...
Abstract Background Efficient movement and energy expenditure are vital for animal survival. Human disturbance can alter due to changes in resource availability threats. Some animals exploit anthropogenic disturbances more efficient movement, while others face restricted or inefficient fragmentation of high-resource habitats, risks associated with disturbed habitats. Mining, a major disturbance, removes natural introduces new landscape features, alters distribution the landscape. This study...
Records of the distribution and control shrubby weed Mimosa pigra in wetlands within, adjacent to, Kakadu National Park (KNP), northern Australia, were examined to determine effects habitat variation distance from large stands on density persistence satellite outbreaks. The cumulative outbreaks decreased with east west KNP. There was, however, no trend number new discovered each year 1984 until 1993, despite doubling area larger stand M. KNP every 1.4 yr early 1980s 1991. highest densities...
Comparative studies of plant resource use and ecophysiological traits invasive native resident species can elucidate mechanisms invasion success ecosystem impacts. In the seasonal tropics north Australia, alien C4 perennial grass Andropogon gayanus (gamba grass) has transformed diverse, mixed tree-grass savanna ecosystems into dense monocultures. To better understand invasion, we compared acquisition usage efficiency using leaf-scale stand-scale growth A. with a co-habiting Alloteropsis...