Honours supervisors and projects

Dr Jenny Davis

Phone: 990 51063
E-mail: Jennifer.Davis@sci.monash.edu.au

How do platypus influence their prey ?

Joint supervision with Dr Bob Wong - first or second semester start in 2010

Considerable information exists on aspects of the biology and physiology of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), however, we know virtually nothing about the influence they might have on aquatic ecosystems. This project will examine how aquatic invertebrates, particularly stream insects, respond to the presence of platypus in their environment, under controlled conditions.

Can stream insects adapt to climatic stress ?

Joint supervision with Dr Carla Sgro - first or second semester start in 2010

Climate change is thought to be the biggest threat to the long-term future of almost every species. This is because temperature, and in particular temperature stress, is a key determinant of species distributions and abundances. Understanding if and how a species will adapt to temperature extremes is crucially important in allowing us to assess the likely threats imposed by climate change. One way to study climatic adaptation is to study populations collected from along latitudinal or altitudinal transects. This is because latitude/altitude can be thought of as surrogates for climate; as latitude/altitude changes, so do climatic variables like temperature and humidity. Stoneflies (Plecoptera) have an aquatic larval stage, but the adults are winged and disperse via flight. They are found in rivers that occur along altitudinal gradients (e.g. in rivers flowing down mountain ranges).  This project will compare levels of larval and adult thermal tolerance among populations from different geographic (climatic) regions in southeastern Australia. Such a comparison will provide insight into how these aquatic insects might adapt to changing environmental (temperature) conditions, and how they might respond to ongoing climate change.

What role do created riffles play in restoring ecosystem services in urban streams ?

Joint supervision with Dr Ross Thompson  - second semester start in 2010

In addition to re-planting riparian vegetation, creating or replacing riffle zones can be an important part of stream restoration programs. This project seeks to determine the influence that the restoration of riffles in Melbourne streams has had on ecological components and processes. This project will involve sampling water quality and stream flora and fauna at sites on Melbourne streams with and without created riffles.

Do constructed urban wetlands provide an important habitat for long necked turtles (Chelodina longicollis) ?

Joint supervision with Dr Richard Reina -second  semester  start in 2010

Constructed wetlands are a major feature of the Melbourne landscape. The main objective for their construction on urban streams is to improve water quality (particularly nitrogen reduction) before streams discharge into Port Phillip Bay. Such wetlands often provide additional ecosystems services, including those of nature conservation and social and landscape amenity. The effective management of these wetlands requires not only an understanding of their capacity to remove nutrients and other pollutants but how they function as ecological systems. Constructed urban wetlands may be providing new habitats for long necked turtles within the Melbourne region. This project will involve trapping turtles at selected urban wetlands to determine population attributes. Some tracking will also be undertaken to determine how turtles may move between stream and wetland habitats.