Current/Past projects
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Research Project
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Ant biogeography and community ecology
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Title
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Main factors determining ant species co-occurrence in tropical savannas: a hypothesis test on ecological patterns generality contrasting Brazil and Australia
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Description
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The aim of the project is to compare the patterns of ant community organization between the Brazilian and Australian savannas. For this reason my specific objectives are: 1) Determine if there is difference in the ant species richness in the soil and vegetation between Brazilian and Australian Savanna; 2) Determine the degree of species turnover between habitats (soil or vegetation), food types (sugar or protein) and time of activity (day or night) in the Brazilian and Australian savanna; 3) Determine if inter-specific competition is as important in Brazilian savanna as in Australian savanna, and 4) Determine if there is difference in the proportion of species by competitive hierarchy (following the terminology of Yanoviak and Kaspari 2000) between Brazilian and Australian Savanna.
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Research Scientist
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Alan Andersen
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Student
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R. Ildefonso de Campos
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University
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Universidade Federal de Uberlandia (Brazil)
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Research Project
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Ant biogeography and community ecology
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Title
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Monsoon forest ant study
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Description
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The aim of this study is to determine ant biodiversity in a monsoon forest patch and in particular, whether there is a difference in ant assemblage between the wet and dry season. The main location of the study is at the Territory Wildlife Park. The methodology involves collecting leaf litter from the forest floor and then sifting to extract the ants. The ants are then identified to genus or species level in the lab.
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Research Scientist
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Alan Andersen
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Student
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L. Van Ingen
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University
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University Paul Cezanne, Marseille (France)
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Research Project
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Monitoring landscape health
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Title
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Assessment of cyclone impact using scaled oblique photography in a GIS environment
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Description
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In April 2006 the severe Tropical Cyclone Monica caused significant damage in the coastal region of Arnhem land. Between 30 % and 80 % of trees were knocked over across about 7000 km˛ of the cyclone swath. In order to survey the cyclone track and to quantify its impact, scaled oblique photography taken along the cyclone track are being analysed in ArcGIS and soil and terrain databases are incorporated in the study as well.
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Research Scientist
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Garry Cook
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Student
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C. Goyens
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University
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Currently Unenrolled, Masters Volunteer (Belgium)
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Research Project
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Fire Research and Education at the Territory Wildlife Park
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Title
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Effects of herbivory by wallabies on the survival and growth of annual sorghum
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Description
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CSIRO has 18 research plots at the Territory Wildlife Park. Each plot is subject to a different fire treatment. This project uses three different fire treatments: annual burning, burning every three years and no burning. On each plot sorghum is planted and two quadrats are marked out. One is enclosed to prevent wallaby grazing. Sorghum height and biomass is calculated every two weeks with data analysed at the end of the study period. The project aims to determine if wallabies selectively graze sorghum in response to fire treatment.
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Research Scientist
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Leigh Hunt
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Student
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P. De Macedo
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University
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National Graduate School of Chemistry and Physics of Bordeaux (France)
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* Comments supplied by sudents are a personal account and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TERC or CSIRO.
