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Final Report

Maximising woodland bird diversity in Brigalow Bird forests

Final technical report

Large continuous areas of woodland, such as the eucalypt woodlands of the Brigalow Belt, are potentially significant refugia for fragmentation-sensitive birds, and the area of these woodlands under private and public conservation management is increasing substantially. Yet the avifauna of the apparently relatively intact woodlands shows many of the symptoms typically associated with fragmented agricultural regions, such as domination by a single species, the aggressive noisy miner.

With the wisdom of hindsight: reconsidering institutional arrangements for water

The Rudd Government has promised to tackle Australia’s water crisis confidently, equitably and efficiently. This report proposes that this commitment be extended to put in place a suite of institutional arrangements that can be confidently explained as ones likely to fix Australia’s water allocation and investment problems.

Flow requirements and resource delivery to the Lower Murray Lakes and Northern Coorong

As discussed in the previous milestone reports, the drawdown of water levels in the Lower Lakes to unprecedented levels has provided an additional focus for the project. This has been done to provide relevant information to the managers and assist with both the short-term and long-term management of the region. It has included investigating the changes water quality during drawdown and likely changes in water quality upon reflooding the lakes.

Water regime dependence of fish in the wet-dry tropics

This project has improved understanding of the potential ecological impacts of changes in dry season flow regimes of tropical river ecosystems caused by water resources development in these catchments. The project investigated variation in fish distribution and ecological requirements across a natural flow regime gradient using field sites, and document indigenous knowledge on fish in the Daly River. This information has been used to develop models, based on BBNs, to predict the impact of different (more)...

Environmental Water Allocation required to sustain macroinvertebrate species in ephemeral streams

Project Objectives: To determine the key drought refuges used by macroinvertebrate species in intermittently-flowing streams and determine the level of threat to each refuge posed by prolonged drying and unpredictable flow regimes To determine the role played by different types of drought refuge in restocking macroinvertebrate populations in rivers and therefore the consequences for river communities of loss of each type of drought refuge. To determine the (more)...

The fourth dimension: incorporating time into landscape-level biodiversity assessments

To survey birds using the protocols and sites established during DUV6 - surveys conducted in replicate landscapes that sample a gradient in native vegetation cover and contrasting configuration - thereby enabling temporal change to be assessed. To evaluate differences in (a) species richness and (b) incidence of woodland bird species between the sampling periods (2002/03 and 2006/07) in relation to landscape composition and configuration. To (more)...

Molecular ecological analysis of vegetation function in fragmented Australian biomes

The aims of this project were to quantify the strength and scale of reproductive interactions among native plant populations occupying remnant vegetation patches in fragmented cropping landscapes in NSW and WA, assess their demographic significance in terms of progeny fitness and population viability and from this develop models of inter-patch interactions in relation to landscape configuration.

Maximising woodlands bird diversity in Brigalow Belt forests

Final report

The Brigalow Belt is a national biodiversity hotspot, and its extensive forests and woodlands are potentially significant refugia for fragmentation-sensitive birds, but our understanding of optimal management for biodiversity conservation and the specific threats facing woodland birds in the area is limited. In particular, management of the aggressive noisy miner is a major challenge throughout the region, despite the species typically being associated with fragmented landscapes. This project aimed to (more)...

Mastering vegetation management for both conservation and profit

The widespread adoption of agroforestry and native vegetation management is seen as a means of supporting agricultural productivity; increasing the resilience of farming businesses in the face of increasingly uncertain climate and market conditions; reducing the environmental impacts of agricultural management; and enhancing regional biodiversity, aesthetic and cultural values.

Achieving Coordinated Landscape-scale Outcomes with Auction Mechanisms

The broad aim of the project was to provide land managers with information that will encourage them to further value, protect and enhance vegetation diversity by demonstrating the practical benefits that can be derived from this natural asset in Australian rangelands.