An Integrated Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change on Victorian Alpine Ecosystems: Detecting and Managing Ecological Change

Grant number: LP0883287 | Funding period: 2008 - 2012

Completed

Abstract

Climate change threatens biodiversity in alpine areas of Australia. This project seeks to predict how plants, soils and small animals will respond to warming and the associated increased risk of bushfire. Our project uses chambers placed out in the field to simulate warming conditions, and measures plant growth and development, and small animal community structure within the chambers. We also assess the effects of climate change on soil processes. The information is used to evaluate the ability of alpine plants and animals to deal with climate change and to identify ways managers can help maintain biodiversity in this fragile ecosystem.

Related publications (5)

How is epigenetics predicted to contribute to climate change adaptation? What evidence do we need?

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Transgenerational effects that are interpreted in terms of epigenetics have become an important research focus at a time when rapi..

Climatic warming strengthens a positive feedback between alpine shrubs and fire

JS Camac, RJ Williams, CH Wahren, AA Hoffmann, PA Vesk

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Climate change is expected to increase fire activity and woody plant encroachment in arctic and alpine landscapes. However, the ex..

Experimental warming and fire alter fluxes of soil nutrients in sub-alpine open heathland

AC White-Monsant, GJ Clark, MAG Ng Kam Chuen, JS Camac, X Wang, WA Papst, C Tang

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Climate change and trajectories of vegetation change in an alpine heathland

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Global warming is predicted to have substantial effects on vegetation dynamics in mountainous and high latitude ecosystems worldwi..

Post-fire regeneration in alpine heathland: Does fire severity matter?

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Fire severity is thought to be an important determinant of landscape patterns of post-fire regeneration, yet there have been few s..

University of Melbourne Researchers

Ary Hoffmann