Synopsis
After more than 120 years as a sheep station in arid western NSW, Fowlers Gap is set to become a conservation property, with the removal of large domestic herbivores (sheep and goats) in 2021.听 This will be a large-scale regeneration project, and it is rare for researchers to have access to such a project throughout its development, implementation and subsequent lifespan.听 Initially, research will focus on establishing a baseline of data for the station. Over subsequent years, research will look at the restoration of the station and the responses of trophic communities to a restored habitat.
Aims
This project aims to:
- Investigate natural regeneration in populations of flora and fauna over time.
- Investigate changes in trophic levels.
- Investigate changes in soil chemistry and microbiological communities.
- Examine the resilience of an arid zone to climate change.
- Establish monitoring and research sites.
Student benefits
During this project, you鈥檒l have the chance to:
- Assist in a major large scale ecosystem regeneration project, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- Study a rapidly changing and evolving ecosystem.
- Do fieldwork in the arid zone that has widespread applications; no project is too large or too small.
- Learn practical skills that will be transferable to other research projects, and that have 鈥渞eal world鈥 applications.
Supervisors:听A/Prof. Hedley Grantham and others
Get involved
To learn more about this project, contact听A/Prof. Hedley Grantham
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