| Research on the ecology and health of tropical savannas
is being conducted by two members of CSIRO Sustainable
Ecosystems, John Ludwig and Elizabeth Poon. They are
part of CSE’s Rangelands and Savannas Program
and represent the Tropical Savannas research team based
in Atherton with other team members based in Darwin.
John Ludwig is conducting savanna research through
funding and support of the Tropical
Savannas Management Cooperative Research Centre.
The Tropical Savannas CRC carries out research right
across the tropical savannas region from Townsville
on the East Coast across the Gulf, Top End and over
to the Kimberley in the West, almost a quarter of the
continent.
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| Photos of the same
site in 1973 and 2002, showing regeneration of
savanna vegetation after cattle were excluded
from the area. |
The Tropical Savannas CRC currently has 16 partners
across northern Australia, and adds value to the work
of these partners by integrating their research, working
with land managers, and making education, extension
and communication more effective.
The Tropical Savannas CRC's program is organised around
four integrated themes. John serves as the Leader of
Theme 1 on "Landscape Ecology and Health",
which aims to understand landscape and ecosystem processes
and functions and to develop a working definition of
savanna landscape health based on scientific, experiential
and Indigenous knowledge.
The project also aims to inform government, research
and development providers and other land management
agencies in order to help them plan sustainable regional
developments.
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| Healthy savanna in the Bowen
Basin, Queensland |
Elizabeth Poon is a PhD student who has been awarded
an Australian Postgraduate Award at the University of
Queensland. This basic APA scholarship has been increased
by a Tropical Savannas CRC scholarship and operating
funds to promote Elizabeth’s research on Tropical
Savannas. John Ludwig is serving as an Associate Advisor
on Elizabeth’s PhD research program along with
Prof. Hugh Possingham, Director of The Ecology Centre,
University of Queensland.
>> More Information
on Elizabeth Poon's research
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