Project Details
Project Description
This project will test whether structural retention, whereby plant detritus (logs, bark, leaves) is trapped and
retained within river channels, can offset the impacts caused by widespread clearance of vegetation along
river banks, a widespread problem in Australia and the world. Theoretically, retention is a major
environmental driver of ecosystem change in rivers, but this has rarely been tested, particularly in a
restoration context. We expect to show that increasing retention results in higher species diversity, thus
providing managers with a relatively straightforward method for improving the environmental conditions of
LP140100054 (Submitted to ARC) Prof Barbara Downes PDF Created: 14/11/2013 Page 4 of 107
rivers, while simultaneously testing three hypotheses about rectifying ecosystem degradation caused by
human impacts.
retained within river channels, can offset the impacts caused by widespread clearance of vegetation along
river banks, a widespread problem in Australia and the world. Theoretically, retention is a major
environmental driver of ecosystem change in rivers, but this has rarely been tested, particularly in a
restoration context. We expect to show that increasing retention results in higher species diversity, thus
providing managers with a relatively straightforward method for improving the environmental conditions of
LP140100054 (Submitted to ARC) Prof Barbara Downes PDF Created: 14/11/2013 Page 4 of 107
rivers, while simultaneously testing three hypotheses about rectifying ecosystem degradation caused by
human impacts.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/01/14 → 31/12/17 |
Funding
- Melbourne Water Corporation (trading as Melbourne Water) (Victoria): A$120,000.00
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) (Victoria): A$120,000.00
- Australian Research Council (ARC): A$298,513.00