Abstract
Forest, woodland and shrubland declines are widespread and in many cases severe in Western Australia and elsewhere in temperate Australia. The causes are often complex, poorly understood and include: declining rainfall, changes in groundwater levels and quality, pathogens and pests, excess nutrients, salinity, changing fire regimes, and weed competition to name a few. This presentation reviews current projects by members of the State Centre of Excellence on Climate Change Woodland and Forest Health and other researchers based at Murdoch University. The Centre, a co-operative venture with the University of Western Australia, the Department of Environment and Conservation and approximately 26 other partners, has four key Research Programs: Climate Change, forest and woodland declines; Decline Ecology; Restoring Biodiversity Values, and Education, Training, Communication and Policy. The aim of the Centre is to bring together multi-disciplinary teams of research scientists to (a) determine the factors that contribute to declines, (b) determine how they interact with climate change, (c) develop adaptive management strategies to mitigate the declines and to restore ecosystem function and health, and (d) work with agencies, industry and the wider community to ensure research findings are rapidly and effectively implemented through policy, legislation and community engagement.
Keywords: Climate Change; Remote Sensing, Restoration, Fauna, Flora