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. 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. 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’ll 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 “real world” applications.

Supervisors (list of potential supervisors): Dr Keith Leggett, Prof. Mike Letnic, A/Prof. Lisa Schwanz, Prof. Angela Moles, A/Prof. Will Cornwell, Dr Adrian Fisher, A/Prof. Daniel Falster

Get involved

To learn more about this project, contact Dr Keith Leggett.

E: k.leggett@unsw.edu.au
T: +61 8 8091 2511