{"links":{"self":"http://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/API/grants/DE260100690"},"data":{"type":"grant-details","id":"DE260100690","attributes":{"code":"DE260100690","administering-organisation":"Macquarie University","announcement-administering-organisation":"Macquarie University","scheme-name":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","grant-status":"Active","funding-commencement-year":2026,"years-funded":3,"project-start-date":"2026-01-01","anticipated-end-date":"2028-12-31","grant-summary":"Future of Australian islands: vegetation dynamics across space and time. Australia’s 8000 islands support ¼ of the continent’s plants acting as conservation refugia. However, little is known about how island plants are affected by global change. My project will investigate plant diversity changes on Australia’s coastal islands in response to climate change, exotic species and sea level rise. Using a novel island dataset I will identify loss and shifts in vegetation across the continent. A field study designed with Queensland Parks will investigate ecological change on highly threatened reef islands. This project will guide conservation priorities, protect flora and help ensure islands remain key refuges for biodiversity by reframing Island Biogeography theory for enhanced conservation in the Anthropocene.","funding-current":532679.00,"funding-at-announcement":528448,"investigators-current":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Julian","familyName":"Schrader","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0002-8392-211X "}],"investigators-at-announcement":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Julian","familyName":"Schrader","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0002-8392-211X "}],"organisations-current":[{"organisationName":"Macquarie University","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"NSW"}],"organisations-at-announcement":[{"organisationName":"Macquarie University","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"NSW"}],"field-of-research":[{"isPrimary":true,"code":"3103","name":"Ecology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"310307","name":"Population Ecology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"319902","name":"Global Change Biology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"410401","name":"Conservation and Biodiversity","type":"FOR20"}],"socio-economic-objective":[{"code":"180203","name":"Coastal Or Estuarine Biodiversity","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"180601","name":"Assessment and Management of Terrestrial Ecosystems","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"190102","name":"Ecosystem Adaptation to Climate Change","type":"SEO20"}],"international-collaboration":[],"lief-register":[],"achievement-summary":null,"national-interest-test-statement":"Australia's 8,000+ coastal islands support 1/4 of our plant species and provide essential services, including, coastal protection from storms, cultural value for local communities and recreation such as diving, boating and fishing. However, climate change, rising sea levels and exotic species threaten island ecosystems, risking biodiversity loss and degradation of services many Australians rely on. Despite these growing pressures, we lack a clear understanding of how island vegetation is changing and what can be done to protect it. This project will track biodiversity shifts on Australian islands using a novel Australia-wide island-plant database and new fieldwork in the Great Barrier Reef, providing critical insights into conservation and climate resilience. Working closely with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), it will identify priority islands for protection, helping to safeguard the Reef’s World Heritage status and Australia’s unique island flora. By supporting national biodiversity policies, such as such as Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030 and Strategy for Nature 2019–2030, this project will guide conservation strategies, strengthen ecosystem resilience and inform sustainable island management. Through public outreach, policy engagement and collaboration with conservation agencies such as QPWS, it will ensure that findings translate into effective conservation, helping to protect Australia’s coastal ecosystems for future generations."}}}