Rehabilitating a changing landscape: using the latest advances in koala ecology to direct adaptive management (ARC Linkage Project administered by the University of Sydney)

Abstract:: The koala has been identified as one of the world's flagship species suffering from enviornmental change. In contrast to the decline of koalas in NSW generally, the eucalypts planted in Gunnedah to combat salinity led to an increase in koalas. However, the startlingly high death rate of Gunnedah koalas (25% of the population) in the heatwave during the drought in 2009 must be understood. There are also new threats brought about by intensive land modification. This project will determine the effects of environmental change on the koala population through a combination of landscape ecology, leaf chemistry, disease epidemiology and studies on koala movements. This will lead to better management decisions for arboreal fauna.
Grant type:: University of Sydney
Funded by:: The University of Sydney

The University of Queensland