Partnerships
Much of our biodiversity research work is done in collaboration with other agencies and organisations concerned with ecologically sustainable land management in the Northern Territory. We also receive substantial external funding from a number of sources. Our major research partnerships are summarised here, with links to Web sites where further information can be found.
The Tropical Savannas Management Cooperative Research Centre promotes sustainable land management across the tropical savannas of northern Australia by bringing together researchers from different disciplines, sectors and regions. The NT Department of Resources, Environment and the Arts is a Partner Agency in the TS-CRC and our staff make a substantial contribution to the research agenda.
Current research projects funded by the TS-CRC include:
- landscape health: mammal decline & recovery (John Woinarski)
- refining methods for off-reserve conservation of biodiversity in tropical savanna rangelands (Alaric Fisher)
- monitoring biodiversity health in tropical savanna rangelands (Alaric Fisher)
CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems has research groups in Darwin (Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre) and Alice Springs (Centre for Arid Zone Research). Collaboration with staff at TERC has largely focused on including invertebrate groups (such as ants, spiders, beetles and grasshoppers) in biodiversity assessment. In addition to simple inventory surveys, this has included research on landscape health, and the effects of grazing and fire on biodiversity.
Postgraduate students from the Northern Territory University and RMIT in Melbourne are involved in biodiversity research undertaken by NRETA or have NRETA scientists as co-supervisors. Within the Northern Territory University, the Key Centre for Tropical Wildlife Management focuses on the study of management systems involving the sustainable use of wildlife, either for subsistence or commerce, as well as endangered species conservation and the relationships between land management practices and species conservation.
Current postgraduate research projects supported by NRETA include:
- the ecology of Black-footed Tree Rat Mesembriomys gouldiae and the effects of habitat fragmentation (Brooke Rankmore)
- impacts of introduced pastures on biodiversity in the Mary River catchment (Kerry Beggs)
- the ecology of Brush-tailed Rabbit-rat Conilurus penicillatus (Ron Firth)
- monitoring vertebrate status in Kakadu National Park (Michelle Watson)
Within the RMIT, the Department of Geospatial Science focuses on the application of geospatial technologies for sustainable resource management.
Current postgraduate research projects supported by NRETA include:
- biodiversity conservation at the Australian bioregional level using the Burt Plain Bioregion in the Northern Territory as a case study (Petina Pert)
Parks Australia administers two of the most important reserves in the Northern Territory - Kakadu National Park and Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. Due to its large size, high diversity and research history, Kakadu provides an important focus for biodiversity research. We are currently collaborating with Parks Australia on a study of changes in the abundance of vertebrate species in Kakadu and the development of a robust biodiversity monitoring program.
Biodiversity conservation research also involves research partnerships with other groups and agencies in the Northern Territory Government. This includes:
- working with Primary Industries & Fisheries (DBIRD) and other industry based groups such as the Centralian Land Management Association (CLMA) to promote sustainable management of pastoral land in the Northern Territory.
- marine regional management planning with the National Oceans Office
Much of the biodiversity research undertaken by DIPE is supported by external funds. In additional to the Tropical Savannas CRC, funding for current or recent research has been provided by: