»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ

I am interested in researching ecological interactions at the landscape scale and providing useful information to contribute to on ground conservation management actions. To do this I use traditional in-situ data collection methods coupled with various remote sensing and automated monitoring technologies to produce data sets with high spatial and temporal resolution allowing me to investigate mechanisms via which threatening process may impact biodiversity.

Project: Trophic impacts of kangaroo grazing on arid rangeland conservation properties.

Supervised by: Mike Letnic, Adrian Fisher

Project Description: Excessive grazing by kangaroos may jeopardise biodiversity conservation in arid Australia. There is however limited data on how kangaroo grazing impacts other animals. Disruption of food webs supported by dead vegetation (brown food webs) is one way kangaroo overgrazing may impact arid ecosystems. Links with kangaroo grazing have only been established in primary and secondary arid brown food web consumers however, with the mechanisms driving these responses yet to be investigated. Because management of kangaroos is highly contentious, we must establish if and how overgrazing by kangaroos threatens biodiversity to develop evidence-based management plans.
To address this knowledge gap, I will assess whether brown food webs support arid zone biodiversity while testing the hypothesis that kangaroos limit arid zone biodiversity by interrupting brown food webs. My research will advance theory on brown food web ecology and provide new insight into the impacts of kangaroo overgrazing on arid ecosystems to directly inform evidence-based management plans.