{"links":{"self":"http://dataportal.arc.gov.au/NCGP/API/grants/DE260101087"},"data":{"type":"grant-details","id":"DE260101087","attributes":{"code":"DE260101087","administering-organisation":"The University of Melbourne","announcement-administering-organisation":"The University of Melbourne","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":"Boom or bust? Predicting species’ responses to extreme environmental change. This project aims to transform our understanding of population responses in hypervariable environments as they face intensifying climate pressures by using Australian terrestrial ectotherms as a model system. This project will identify individual traits that drive demographic processes by integrating existing long-term field data with new genomic analysis, physiological experiments, and ecological modelling. Expected outcomes include the ability to differentiate between natural population fluctuations and changes driven by climate and human disturbance. This new knowledge will inform managers what species are at risk following disturbance and, most importantly, it will enable the prediction and mitigation of additive climate change impacts.","funding-current":528440.00,"funding-at-announcement":524218,"investigators-current":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Kristoffer","familyName":"Wild","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0001-6714-3311 "}],"investigators-at-announcement":[{"title":"Dr","firstName":"Kristoffer","familyName":"Wild","roleName":"Discovery Early Career Researcher Award","roleCode":"DECRA","isFellowship":true,"orcidIdentifier":"0000-0001-6714-3311 "}],"organisations-current":[{"organisationName":"The University of Melbourne","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"VIC"}],"organisations-at-announcement":[{"organisationName":"The University of Melbourne","roleName":"Administering Organisation","state":"VIC"}],"field-of-research":[{"isPrimary":true,"code":"3103","name":"Ecology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"310303","name":"Ecological Physiology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"310307","name":"Population Ecology","type":"FOR20"},{"isPrimary":false,"code":"410102","name":"Ecological Impacts of Climate Change and Ecological Adaptation","type":"FOR20"}],"socio-economic-objective":[{"code":"180606","name":"Terrestrial Biodiversity","type":"SEO20"},{"code":"280102","name":"Expanding Knowledge In the Biological Sciences","type":"SEO20"}],"international-collaboration":[],"lief-register":[],"achievement-summary":null,"national-interest-test-statement":"Arid and semi‐arid regions cover over 70% of Australia, yet we lack a reliable way to predict how species in these hypervariable environments, classified as boom‐bust, will cope with increasing threats. Climate change, drought, fire, and human‐driven habitat changes further add to instability over the long term, risking biodiversity loss. This project will discover the physiological and genetic traits that help species persist under extreme conditions, drawing on decades of field data, laboratory experiments, and genomic tools. With these insights, we can build stronger models to forecast how species will respond to future disturbances, guiding proactive and efficient conservation strategies. The outcomes of this research will help managers and policymakers pinpoint the species at highest risk and focus conservation resources more effectively. By reducing costly emergency measures, strengthening climate resilience, and protecting our unique wildlife, this research delivers economic, environmental, and cultural benefits for all Australians. This proactive approach can reduce costly crisis interventions, strengthen Australia’s ability to adapt to climate change and protect biodiversity. Outcomes will be disseminated to national parks, ecological recovery programs, and local, state, and federal agencies. Ultimately, this project will foster greater ecological resilience in Australia’s arid and semi‐arid landscapes, safeguarding our remarkable biodiversity for future generations."}}}