Presentation given by Alison Specht

1. The Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Alison Specht ACEAS Program Manager. University of Queensland

2. ACEAS: Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis The aim of ACEAS is to support the integration and synthesis of ecosystem data and information across the many relevant disciplines and institutions in Australia, thereby enhancing and accelerating our knowledge and understanding of science particularly to improve our policy and management decision-making..

4. ACEAS-TERN principles facilitate the advancement of pure and applied ecosystem knowledge through the search for spatial and temporal patterns and principles in existing data; improve the organization and synthesis of ecosystem information in a manner useful to researchers, resource managers, and policy makers addressing important natural resource management issues; influence the way ecosystem research is conducted in the future, in both the short and long term, by promoting a culture of synthesis, collaboration, and data sharing; promote integrative research and the principles of ecosystem science to facilitate linkages between all ecosystem disciplines and the natural resource management community; serve as a conduit between the ecosystem and natural resource management communities in the development of innovative management strategies for sustainable management of Australia’s natural resources and the maintenance of biodiversity; and assist in planning the evolution of TERN into the future. In particular, to determine the types of data and new infrastructure required to address remaining major applied and pure questions in ecosystem science.

5. www.aceas.org.au

6. www.aceas.org.au

7. www.aceas.org.au

8. www.aceas.org.au

9. www.aceas.org.au

10. How does ACEAS do this? provides funds to support scientists and managers to collaborate and formulate high-level solutions around difficult ecosystem problems. Hosts participants both virtually through the internet and in purpose-built meeting rooms at the University of Queensland and with high-level technical advice as required. Has established a competitive selection by an international panel of independent experts (the ACEAS Advisory Panel).

11. What does ACEAS fund? Working Groups (≤ $50,000). These support innovative programs of work by small teams of scientists and managers (≤15). ACEAS supplies money for virtual support (wikis, data searching and integration assistance) and for attendance at up to 3 workshops during the life of the WG. Up to 14 in 2011. Targetted workshops (≤ $30,000). These support similarly small teams but only for one workshop. The team may be supported by a wiki before and after the meeting. Up to 10 a year. Sabbatical fellows (≤$15,000). This funding is to support extended interaction of internationally recognised ecologists and ecosystem scientists with Working Groups and Workshops for periods of 3-12 months. Up to 5 a year.

12. A Working Group model

13. A Working Group model

14. A Working Group model

15. A Working Group model Some technical support, e.g. data discovery and acquisition, data compilation, data blending, statistical advice.

16. ACEAS is interested in activities: which encompass some or all of the ACEAS-TERN principles that are innovative and of a high standard that are ‘needed’ and could not be (easily) funded elsewhere that have a high quality team with all members clearly contributing to achieving the goals set that have participants from more than one organisation that have a high (as appropriate) level of engagement with the broad ecosystem science and management community that have a strong likelihood of outcome (paper, report) that are feasible and complete (including budget) For sabbatical fellows, interaction across working groups and workshops is desirable.

17. Funding rounds

18. 2010 Round 2 funding Workshop Transformational change of regional landscapes: navigating planetary limits and resource constraints over the next five decades (Meyer: SA) Working Groups Determining precise estimates of modern biodiversity extinction rates (Bradshaw: SA) A cup half full? Thresholds and regime shifts in Australian freshwater ecosystems (Capon: QLD) Pyrogeography: Integrating and evaluating existing models of Australian fire regimes to predict climate change impacts (Murphy: TAS). Improving long-term predictions of carbon and nutrient dynamics in Australia's agroecosystems: assimilation of datasets from long-term research sites for verification of biophysical models of vegetation and soil changes (Henry: QLD) Extinction risks of frogs under climate change (Keith: NSW)

20. Faculty of Science @ UQ