Menu
Research Questions/Objectives:
Brief Description of the Project: This project will monitor and evaluate ground cover change on up to 4000 hectares of bare ground on cattle properties. Two clusters of properties situated in the upper Gilliat and Stamford region will hold a total of 20 bare ground restoration demonstration sites. The project is in partnership with landholders, James Cook University and Southern Gulf NRM. It will focus on quantification of landscape recovery following land management change monitored by changes in ground cover and constraints to re-establishing vegetation in different land types.
Background and Significance of the Research Question to drought risk, vulnerability, preparedness, or resilience: Through monitoring land cover, soil properties and vegetation changes of bare ground restoration demonstration sites, it will better inform future restoration techniques to similar condition land types in the Southern Gulf region. This will improve land and soil management by enhancing land condition for drought resilience and cattle production of native Mitchell grasslands. Land management practices and combinations of practices trialed will be quantified and better understood to support the improvement of drought resilience. Soil chemical and physical changes will be monitored and changes in properties as a result of revegetating these large areas of Mitchell grasslands will be better understood.
Academic and research experience relevant to the honours project: I will complete a Bachelor of Science at the end of 2022 with a double major in both earth science and zoology and ecology. I have also completed several subjects that will benefit me throughout my honours project including “Soil Properties and Processes”, “Australian Landscape Processes and Evolution”, “Introduction to Geographic Information Systems”, “Advanced Geographic Information Systems” and “Sedimentology and Stratigraphy.” I also will have completed two “Special Topic” subjects by the end of this year (SC3901 & SC3902). These were two separate independent studies devoted to a topic chosen by my supervisor and me. I completed my first special topic in semester one of 2022 with Dr. Brandon Mahan titled “Fingerprinting the Fundão tailings dam collapse at Samarco Mineracao in Minas Gerais, Brazil in November 2015.” My second special topic will be completed in December this year and will focus on the baseline reporting of land and soil condition at our chosen sites for my honours project, with Dr Jack Koci as my supervisor.
Principal Supervisor’s skills and experience in relation to this project topic: Dr. Jack Koci has specialties in tropical catchment geomorphology and water quality. His current research primarily focuses on improving and understanding the causes, processes, impacts and managements of soil erosion in tropical landscapes. Drone-based remote sensing techniques to map, monitor and model North Queensland landscapes.
Update to be provided.
Update to be provided.
