Research

Several projects are currently being researched by the Dickman Lab. There are two ARC funded research projects which are based in the Simpson Desert and several student projects in different regions of the country.

Current ARC - funded Research

Student Research

Post Doctoral Research

Current ARC - funded Research

The renaissance predator: complex predator-prey interactions and vertebrate diversity in arid Australia. Chris Dickman

Predators are often viewed simply as animals that hunt live prey, but emerging evidence suggests that the effects usually quite subtle, sometimes positive, and reach far beyond the organisms that they kill. Using an extensive database of observations of vertebrates in the Simpson Desert, western Queensland this project first identifies the red fox and the sand goanna as key regional predators and then outlines a novel program of observations and experiments to quantify their effects on the broader prey community. The results will probe and extend current theory about predator-prey interactions, providing the first mechanistic understanding of how predation influences prey diversity in arid Australia, and enhance our ability to conserve and manage the rich biotic resources that characterize the vast inland regions.

Biodiversity enhancement in arid Australia: the importance of micro-refugia and biotic interactions. Chris Dickman and Glenda Wardle

Arid environments are commonly thought to be structured by large-scale episodic events such as flooding rains, droughts and wildfires that redistribute resources across the landscape and drive the dynamics of species populations. However, emerging evidence suggests that small patches, or micro-refugia, in the arid landscape provide critical buffers for many species against the extremes of climate and provide the framework for interactions among them that elevate biotic diversity still further. In this project we seek first to quantify the biotic richness of micro-refugia – woodland stands – in the Simpson Desert of western Queensland, then to experimentally disentangle the interactions and other factors that promote species presence there, and finally to evaluate the pressures on these patches from grazing, wildfire and predation. The opportunity to do this is unparalleled due to the recent cessation of pastoral activity in half of our proposed study region, and to the availability of large areas burnt in wildfires in 2001. Building on an extensive database on vegetation and vertebrate dynamics in the adjacent sand dune system of the desert, this project will allow us to identify local ‘hotspots’ of biodiversity, critically evaluate current ecological theory about species interactions, and provide effective guidance for the management of desert resources.

Student Research

Post Doctoral Research