C3 and C4 distribution in Australia
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The aim of this project is to create Australia-wide spatial vegetation products, including updated vegetation maps, C3/C4 vegetation models and maps, and a δ13C leaf isoscape. Project leaders will combine TERN Landscape and other national satellite and monitoring data sets to establish the proportional distribution (% cover) of key structural vegetation types and forms. These data will be combined with climate data to estimate the proportional distribution of C3 and C4 vegetation in Australia. Once these vegetation maps are established, stable isotope mixing models will be used estimate the mean δ13C value at relevant grid-points across the country. The resulting maps and isoscape will be validated by determining the actual proportion (% cover) of C3 and C4 plants at TERN Surveillance plots and the mean δ13C value of the dominant plant species at a subset of plots.
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Deepwater shark diet revealed using isotope analysis
The goal of this project is to evaluate the diet, movement, and ecological interactions of deepwater sharks in Australian waters. A variety of deepwater sharks, rays, and skates have been collected from deepwater trawl vessels on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Stable isotope analysis of shark tissues will be used to determine what prey these sharks eat, how species share and compete for resources, and how factors such as sex, size, and location can affect diet and species interaction. Data will also be used to develop more accurate isotope analysis techniques. This information will ultimately lead to a better understanding of deepwater ecosystems and be invaluable when establishing conservation measures for these vulnerable sharks and habitats. This research would not be possible without the generous support of the Save Our Seas Foundation. Read more on my Save Our Seas Project Page
New tracer methods for revealing the hidden connections between ecosystems
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Marine and terrestrial ecosystems are connected across the land-sea boundary of estuaries. But many of these connections are hard to study because they vary strongly in time or space. Floods are one example of this type of episodic, hard-to-study connection. Moreover, as humans modify the biosphere, these and other landscape-level connections are rapidly changing. We need new methods to study these landscape level connections. I am currently a part of a large team at Griffith University that will work to define the movement of nutrients and trace elements from terrestrial ecosystems to downstream estuaries. I am also using a mix of novel and tested methods to examine the benefits of floods and nutrient deposits for coastal species.
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PhD Research: Shark movement and diet in a diverse coastal ecosystem
Different species have been found to exhibit generalist, opportunistically selective, and specialist resource use strategies. Sharks using these distinct strategies will have unique impacts on marine communities and respond differently to environmental fluctuation. I used a combination of passive acoustic telemetry and stable isotope analysis to determine the space use, habitat selection, and habitat specialization patterns of different shark populations in a productive coastal embayment. By using two distinct techniques to study animal movement over large and small scales, this work will provide new insights into the foraging behaviours and distribution patterns of these species.
