About the project:

Soil disturbance by animals is considered a significant ecological process that affects both abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem. Much of the research on Australian arid zone ecosystem engineers has focused on the digging and burrowing activities of mammals, however many of these species are locally extinct or absent in arid systems. Extant ecosystem engineers that inhabit semi-arid Eucalyptus mallee woodlands like malleefowl, sand goannas and echidnas disturb soil, creating novel, high productivity microsites. Their activities generate unique soil chemistry and microbial communities, alter the vegetation community, and provide habitat for other fauna. The impacts of ecosystem engineering by mallee fauna may play a key role in restoring degraded mallee woodlands. It is likely that relative impacts differ across the mallee woodland geographic range (and associated rainfall gradient) and will be affected by shifting rainfall distributions under climate change.

This project is part of an ARC Industry Fellowship; a partnership between Federation University, several conservation NGOs, government agencies and the First Nations People of the River Murray Mallee who collectively manage and conserve over 1 million ha of Eucalyptus mallee woodland at the SA/NSW/VIC border as part of the ‘Living Landscapes’ initiative .

This project offers a fully funded PhD Scholarship at Federation University and the opportunity to complete an embedded internship with an industry partner ($38k/year + $10k top-up with internship). An internship fosters the development of valuable industry skills and allows the student to build a broad industry network for future employment. This research project will be developed with input from industry partners ensuring the outcomes have real world impact and inform on ground management decisions.

Benefits to you:

• Generous stipend and support for project costs.
• Training and experience in an industry setting with associated network building for future employment
• Contribute to the restoration of the Eucalyptus mallee woodland, a beautiful, diverse and resilient community.
• Be part of a multidisciplinary research group within the Future Regions Research Centre, with support for professional development.
• Fieldwork in stunning and remote locations across several states.

About you:

• Excellent academic record (First Class Honours or equivalent), in ecology, zoology, botany, soil science or a similar field.
• Proven experience collecting ecological field data, and the ability to analyse data using R and publish results in academic journals or industry reports.
• Ability to travel to regional and remote locations. Field work will require extensive travel to mallee woodland locations throughout Australia with a particular focus on sites in the SA/NSW Murray Mallee (Calperum Station and Nanya Research Station). The candidate will also be required to visit Federation University Mt Helen campus (Ballarat).
• Practical skills to operate independently in challenging field conditions (navigation, 4WD experience, awareness of safety protocols).