Annual Report 2010-2011 (PDF - 2.47 mb) - Royal Botanic Gardens ...
Annual Report 2010-2011 (PDF - 2.47 mb) - Royal Botanic Gardens ...
Annual Report 2010-2011 (PDF - 2.47 mb) - Royal Botanic Gardens ...
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Contents<br />
OUR achievements – Strategic Priority 2A<br />
Business Plan specific outcomes<br />
(and associated Corporate Plan actions)<br />
Progress against specific outcomes and actions<br />
Specific Outcome 23<br />
(Relating to Corporate Plan Action 20)<br />
Undertake scientific research projects in partnership<br />
with tertiary institutions and other research<br />
organisations (e.g. DSE, Birds Australia, Mornington<br />
Peninsula Biosphere, Chisholm Institute).<br />
Land Management and Infrastructure branch staff<br />
continued monthly monitoring of bird communities<br />
at defined survey sites with the Birds Australia Team,<br />
and Bandicoot habitat and movement studies in the<br />
Koo Wee Rup region with a PhD student and staff<br />
from Deakin University. Bandicoot distribution<br />
surveys were conducted using remote cameras in<br />
collaboration with the Mornington Peninsula<br />
Biosphere Reserve Research Committee and DSE’s<br />
Southern Brown Bandicoot Technical Reference<br />
Group. Recording the dispersal of frog species was<br />
conducted in collaboration with Melbourne Museum<br />
and The University of Melbourne.<br />
Action 16<br />
Develop and implement a new science plan for<br />
ARCUE to reflect emerging research priorities in<br />
urban ecology and associated business<br />
opportunities.<br />
Action 17<br />
Maximise the research capacity of the <strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Botanic</strong><br />
<strong>Gardens</strong> by attracting high-quality research staff and<br />
students, and by strengthening collaboration with<br />
other key scientific and academic institutions.<br />
ARCUE continued to conduct research in line with<br />
the ARCUE Strategic Plan 2008–<strong>2011</strong>. Research<br />
collaborations with government organisations<br />
and academic institutions, both in Australia and<br />
overseas, have continued to fulfil the research<br />
and business goals of the Strategic Plan.<br />
A Post-doctoral Fellow and a PhD student were<br />
appointed from competitive fields of candidates.<br />
ARCUE continued to work with a nu<strong>mb</strong>er of key<br />
scientific and academic institutions. This work<br />
included organising a workshop for grasslands<br />
research for DSE, which brought together experts<br />
from Parks Victoria, Charles Sturt University,<br />
La Trobe University, National Trust, Native Seeds,<br />
and Bioscience Research (Department of Primary<br />
Industries [DPI]).<br />
Melbourne <strong>Gardens</strong> Division co-supervised an<br />
Honours student in collaboration with the School of<br />
Biological Sciences, Monash University on a project<br />
entitled: Can Artificial Macrophytes Provide Refugia<br />
for Zooplankton in a Shallow, Eutrophic; Freshwater<br />
Lake. Research findings in <strong>2010</strong>–11 revealed an<br />
unprecedented absence of cyanobacterial (bluegreen<br />
algae) blooms in the Ornamental Lake.<br />
A vigorous growth of macrophytes (water plants)<br />
may have had some suppressive influence and<br />
offers promise that even in this nutrient-rich lake<br />
system macrophytes can be significant in mitigating<br />
cyanobacterial blooms.<br />
<strong>Royal</strong> <strong>Botanic</strong> <strong>Gardens</strong> Board Victoria <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2010</strong>–11 page 63