Habitat fragmentation and restoration

Habitat fragmentation and restoration

Habitat fragmentation and restoration research examines the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity. It focuses on ecological restoration and connectivity strategies to support species survival, enhance ecosystems, and inform conservation policies for long-term environmental resilience.

About

Loss of habitat and fragmentation reduces population sizes and can lower migration rates and genetic connectivity among remaining populations of native species, reducing genetic variability and increasing extinction risk.

Restoration of native species and habitats may also be constrained by low genetic variability and often little is known of the genetic implications or the levels of adaptability present in key restoration species.

For information on Australia's biodiversity policies see the Department of the Environment and Energy:

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Projects

The project investigates if adaptation in invasive plant species affects fire regimes. Researchers from ANU and CSIRO study traits promoting fire tolerance or flammability, using genomics and spatial genetic analyses. This work could influence policy on climate change adaptation and ecosystem management in Australia.

The Kimberley rainforest patches, rich in biodiversity yet poorly understood, are under threat from human activities and climate change. A collaborative project involving ANU and CSIRO aims to study these areas using advanced sequencing technologies to explore invertebrate diversity, with potential implications for conservation and new species discovery.

The pilot project aims to use genetic approaches to study the Mountain Ash forest's response to disturbances. By analysing genetic relatedness and potential adaptive responses, researchers will develop methods for large-scale genomic analyses to predict ecosystem changes due to contemporary logging and climate challenges.

Eucalypts, particularly Yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora), are crucial to Australian ecosystems but have declined significantly due to land clearing. A project is genotyping Yellow box to improve seed sourcing for restoring Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands, aiming to enhance resilience to future environmental changes.

The Ignition Grant Round 7 project, led by Elle Bowd, focuses on characterising soil communities in Victorian Mountain Ash forests using DNA and RNA metabarcoding. It examines the impact of fire and logging on soil seed-banks and fungi, contributing to long-term biodiversity and conservation research.

News

A major objective of the CBA is to exchange knowledge, perspectives and challenges amongst scientists and policy makers, and find ways to effectively engage, now and into the future.

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A major objective of the CBA is to exchange knowledge, perspectives and challenges amongst scientists and policy makers, and find ways to effectively engage, now and into the future.

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The draft of the Australia’s strategy for nature 2018-2030 is now open for public consultation and they'd like to hear from you. Please complete the survey or make a submission.

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Amid the questioning of government support for remote Aboriginal communities and what Prime Minister Tony Abbott called the “lifestyle choices” of those who

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Collecting seed, growing and re-planting is fundamental to restoration projects. However, little is known of the levels of genetic adaptability present in any key species, such as Yellow box, that frequently used for broad-scale restoration.

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Events

Fred Allendorf
Tue, Oct 7 2025, 3 - 4pm

Professor Fred Allendorf from the University of Montana will discuss the relationship between effective population size and allelic variation and its implications for species conservation status.

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