AAANNNNNNUUUAAALLL BBBUUUSSSIIINNNEEESSSSSS RRREEEVVVIIIEEEWWW 222000000333---000444 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Information Annual Business Review 2003-04 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research 123 Brown St., Heidelberg VIC 3084 (postal: P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg VIC 3084) phone: + 61 3 9450 8600 fax: + 61 3 9450 8799 email: [email protected] website : www.dse.vic.gov.au/ari ISSN 1832-2468 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for you particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Photo on front cover: Big Desert, north-west Victoria, one year after bushfires. Wheel Fruit (Gyrostemon australasicus) is one of the plants that grows in abundance only in the first few seasons after fire, then retreats to a soil seed store, until the next fire. Information Our Vision To ensure that natural resource and land managers, policy formulators and the Victorian community are well informed regarding biodiversity conservation requirements and essential ecosystem processes enabling them to make informed choices and thereby help conserve our living wealth. Our Mission • To make a meaningful contribution to knowledge that assists biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. • To be nationally recognised for quality science. • To undertake strategic research. • To focus on key biodiversity/environmental issues. • To be valued by clients and partners. • To provide quality products, advice, technical solutions and services. Contents Annual Business Review 2003-04 Institute overview ................................................................. 1 Funding sources ................................................................4 Institute highlights ............................................................5 Research capacity ............................................................9 Project summaries ..........................................................12 Institute staff................................................................32 Publication benchmarks.................................................33 Publications 2002-2004 .................................................34 ARI seminar series .........................................................65 References........................................................................67 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 i Institute overview The Institute private consultants. Partnerships with land management agencies such as Parks Victoria and Catchment The Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) Management Authorities ensure that research is focused on was established in 1970 by the Victorian Government as a finding practical solutions, and that those solutions are leading centre for applied ecological research, with a focus implemented on the ground. on flora, fauna and biodiversity issues. The institute provides services to state, federal and local government agencies, the The Institute has direct, on-site access to a large private sector and the public. ARI works co-operatively with conservation library and substantial peripheral resources, a wide range of clients and professional organisations and including computing facilities, geographical information forms strong partnerships with universities, businesses and systems, mapping, publishing services, laboratories and other agencies, to expand the range of expertise and specialised technical equipment. services available. Long-term Objectives The staff of the institute have a broad range of skills in flora, fauna, freshwater ecology and land and water management. 1. Australia’s leading centre, and world recognised, for They have worked in all Australian environments from scientific research in biodiversity conservation deserts to the sea, including forests, grasslands, mountains, 2. An ARI/DSE branded paradigm is used as the basis for rivers, wetlands and the coast, in tropical, temperate and conservation management and policy setting in Victoria, alpine climates. Many staff have international experience, and around the world collectively spanning all continents, with particular interests 3. Biodiversity outcomes in our region have improved in Indonesia, New Zealand, Antarctica, the USA, South dramatically, and ARI science has played a America and Papua New Guinea. The staff include fundamental role acknowledged experts in flora and fauna surveys, 4. ARI provides cutting-edge expert ecological knowledge management of threatening processes, recovery plans for that is accessible threatened species, sustainable forest management, river 5. ARI is a place where people want to work: “The” place management and community involvement in biological to work to be credible in the ecology/biodiversity conservation processes. Their expertise includes often- conservation field. neglected groups of flora and fauna such as freshwater fish, invertebrates, mosses, liverworts, frogs and bats. Staff have skills in research tools such as radio-telemetry, Strategic Directions environmental monitoring, statistical modelling and The strategic directions for research are expressed in the geographic information systems. document “Biodiversity Research Strategic Plan 2000-2005”. This document identifies seven core drivers for the ARIs main focus is on providing strategic research and implementation of successful research (see figure top right), management advice to answer key questions affecting strategic objectives for each driver and current activities ecologically sustainable land or water management and identified to meet these objectives. It specifies priority areas resource use policies. The Institute conducts a wide range of for biodiversity research for the next five years and presents projects to help conserve biodiversity on public and private charters of organisational and staff values. This document land across all environments. It specialises in broad scale will be reviewed on an annual basis to assess its progress ecological surveys to provide the information required for towards meeting its objectives and ensure priorities remain in planning, and has the capacity to undertake large or small line with the Departments required outcomes; and to projects involving flora, fauna, resource use and land and undertake science based, well designed and rigorous studies water management, in Australia or overseas. that are appropriately analysed and presented so as to be accepted by peers and considered authoritative by It has a reputation for innovative work, and has helped stakeholders and community. develop novel solutions for a wide range of land resource management issues including controversial matters such as recreational hunting, environmental water flows and sustainable forest management. The Institute maintains close relationships with other research institutes Victoria and internationally. We form partnerships and conduct joint projects with a range of universities, businesses, State and Commonwealth government agencies, non-government organisations and Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 1 Institute overview ARI Success Drivers ARI staff continued their record of achievement in gaining recognition for their research endeavours. Special mention Core Drivers for Success in Research should be made of Ivor Stuart and his team for winning the 2004 David Ashton Award, following on from several Quality previous winners from ARI of this prestigious award Science Value to (including Simon Nicol in 2003). The Taiwan National Government Science Council invited members of the Box-Ironbark Valued research team including Geoff Brown, Lindy Lumsden and Products Cooperative Richard Loyn to participate in a symposium on integrated and Services Approach biodiversity studies. Geoff’s travel costs were able to be Adoption of Best Practice supported by the Department with Lindy and Richard Results Project Leadership, attending under their own wherewithal. Management and skills and Business Infrastructure Congratulations to Lindy Lumsden for achieving her PhD for her thesis “ The ecology and conservation of insectivorous The major drivers for a successful biodiversity research bats in rural landscapes”. Lindy’s time at the University was program (NRE 2000). funded through the Divisions William B. Emison Award established in 2000 to allow staff to move “off-line” to Institute Director’s Report complete higher degree studies on a part-time basis. Lindy’s This document is the third in our series of annual business efforts to complete a PhD thesis in just over 3 years whilst reviews reporting on the performance and outputs of the maintaining her involvement in many bat related projects as Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI). well as continuing an extensive program of talks to ARI is a business unit of the Biodiversity and Natural community groups etc on bat conservation is truly Resources Division, Land Stewardship and Biodiversity, remarkable. Lindy also received the Deakin University, Department of Sustainability and Environment. It was School of Ecology and Environment, Loch Postgraduate established to undertake an applied research program to Research Award for 2003 for her work. support conservation