Terrestrial Biodiversity Adaptation Research Network

The call for Expressions of Interest for the Terrestrial Biodiversity Network will be about mid-year (no date given, will depend on finalisation of NARP).

Process for allocating research grants

The process for the grants call will be in two stages to minimise applicants’ time spent developing proposals and to encourage research collaborations prior to the development of full proposals.
There will be an open call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs).  Shortlisted applicants will be invited to prepare full project proposals, as outlined below:

1. Short EOIs are invited from researchers with an interest in undertaking research addressing one or more of the research priorities (see Table 1).
2. EOIs will be assessed by an independent Science Review Panel, convened by the NCCARF and the Department, for scientific assessment against the selection criteria.
3. The Panel will review the EOIs to identify outstanding proposals. The Panel may seek additional information from proposers, if considered necessary.
4. NCCARF recommends a shortlist to the Department. The Department will invite successful shortlisted applicants to submit full research proposals.
5. NCCARF, in consultation with the Department, may explore, encourage and broker potential research partnerships and/or the development of research consortia. The Adaptation Research Network for Terrestrial Biodiversity will support NCCARF in this brokering role.
6. NCCARF and the relevant research Networks will assist shortlisted applicants in the development and submission of full proposals.
7. The Science Review Panel will conduct a scientific assessment of proposals against selection criteria; NCCARF recommends to the Department a final set of projects eligible for funding.
8. The Department makes an assessment of the projects against the Program Criteria and submits a final package of projects eligible for funding to the Minister for Climate Change and Water for final decision.
9. The Department contacts successful applicants to negotiate grant agreements.
10. The Science Review Panel and the Department may seek additional independent expert advice at any time throughout the process.

Funding can be used for:

Personnel salaries and on-costs, including

• Research associates, professional officers, technicians, laboratory attendants.

Development or purchase of research resources, including:

• Social surveys;
• Software tools;
• Databases; and
• Minor items of equipment specifically required to support the research.

Travel and communication costs associated with the research, including costs of

• Workshops and similar meetings;
• Face-to-face interviews; and
• Research planning meetings.

NCCARF has requested that this could potentially be used for co-contribution as acceptable ARC-linkage funding but they are still waiting on the decision for this from the ARC.

Funding may not be used for:

• Capital works and general infrastructure;
• Salaries of researchers other than those directly employed on the project;
• Special Studies Programs (in-lieu of normal duties);
• Student fees or HECS liabilities; or
• Computers and other information and communication facilities that duplicate existing capacity.

 

Table 1: Research Priorities

5.1 National/continental scale issues

5.1.1 How will climate change affect existing conservation goals and how should changed conservation goals be promoted and achieved?

5.1.2 How can the existing Australian legal, policy and institutional architecture for land management and biodiversity conservation respond to changes in conservation goals caused by climate change?

5.1.3 What conceptual models and long-term observation systems are needed to support the design, analysis and assessment of active adaptive management and policy experiments at regional and national scales under climate change?

5.2 Regional issues

5.2.1 What designs of landscapes in intensive and extensive land-use zones confer maximum resilience for biodiversity in the face of climate change, including the uncertainty associated with future climate scenarios?

5.2.2 How will climate change interact with other key stressors such as fire, invasive species, salinity, disease, water extraction, climate hydrology, grazing and clearing and what are the implications for ecosystem structure and functioning?

5.2.3 How can large-scale carbon mitigation initiatives such as revegetation and forest-related mitigation be designed to avoid adverse impacts on biodiversity and to maximise biodiversity conservation benefits?

5.2.4 How can major socio-economic trends occurring in many regions of Australia contribute to effective climate change biodiversity adaptation responses?

5.3 Local land management issues

5.3.1 What are the costs and benefits of different climate change adaptation measures in key vulnerable communities and ecosystems?

5.3.2 How should fire management adapt to climate change?

5.3.3 How can management of local protected areas incorporate and adapt to climate change?

5.3.4 How can we better integrate conservation plans and actions across landscapes, incorporating protected area management, off-reserve conservation measures and other land-uses, to maximise biodiversity conservation benefits/outcomes under a changing climate?

5.4 Managing key species

5.4.1 Which species should be the focus of investment in climate change adaptation?

5.4.2 How will climate change affect current management actions for protecting priority species and what management changes will be required?

5.4.3 How will climate change affect current or potential problem species and what management responses will be required?