Australian Flora Foundation

New final reports
Nicholas Paul James Cook University, Townsville
“Green caviar” and “sea grapes”: Targeted cultivation of high-value seaweeds from the genus Caulerpa Final report
Carola Kuramotto de Bednarik Australian National University
Relative importance of fire regimes and environmental gradients for the distribution of rainforests in the Sydney region Final report
Karen Johnson University of Tasmania, Hobart
Determining the pollinators of rare and endangered Epacris species: implications for conservation. Final Report
Catherine Lovelock School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia
The capacity of native saltmarsh halophytes to remove salt from saline wastewater discharge - an experimental assessment of salt uptake mechanisms in common Australian saltmarsh chenopods. Final report*
*Note that this is a summary of the disasters which terminated this project, not a final report.

Newsletters
The most recent Newsletter (January 2013), and links to earlier newsletters in the New Series are here.

Young Scientist awards for 2012
The Ecological Society of Australia conference was in Melbourne in December. Student presentations made up a significant portion of talks and posters at the conference. About two thirds of the 60 posters were presented by students and there were 142 student speakers. Plant ecology and biology themes were well represented. The two AFF award winners were:
Veronica Briceño Rodriguez from the Australian National University for her poster presentation entitled “How to keep your bits warm: Ice barriers protect reproductive organs from frost damage in the alpine plant Loiseleuria procumbens”. Summary
and
Cassia Read from the School of Botany, University of Melbourne for her talk“Using biological soil crusts to assess condition of semi-arid ecosystems”. Summary
Previous award winners can be found here.

Call for Applications for Research Grants for funding in 2014
The Foundation is now calling for applications for research grants to begin in 2014. Details and the application form can be found here. Preliminary applications will be accepted until 18^th March 2013.

30^th Annual General Meeting
The 30^th Annual General Meeting of the Australian Flora Foundation was held at the the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan on Monday 26^th November 2012. A new Council was elected, being the same team as in 2012. Details can be seen here.
A summary of the Foundation's expenditure in the 2011/12 financial year, presented at the AGM is here.
The President's Report for (1982 to) 2012, also presented at the AGM is here. This provides an overview of the activities of the Foundation over the past thirty years.

New Grants
Following the Council Meeting on 13^th August 2012 the Australian Flora Foundation is pleased to announce new grants to
• Guomin Huang Climate change impacts on genetically differentiated Telopea speciosissima (NSW Waratah) costal and upland populations.
• Edward Tsen A spatial genetic study of historic gene flow and demographics of a rare tropical tree Ryparosa kurrangii.
For more details

New final reports
Catherine Lovelock School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia
The capacity of native saltmarsh halophytes to remove salt from saline wastewater discharge - an experimental assessment of salt uptake mechanisms in common Australian saltmarsh chenopods. Final report*
*Note that this is a summary of the disasters which terminated this project, not a final report.
Jon Luly¹, Joe Holtum² and Michelle Waycott³ ¹School of earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University Townsville Q 4811; ²School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University Townsville Q 4811; ³State Herbarium of South Australia
The status of the waddi tree (Acacia pence) in Queensland. Summary Final report
Stefani S. Griesser, Shakti Prakash and Hans J. Griesser, Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095
Plasma discharge treatment for improved germination of seeds and killing of fungal spores on seed coats Summary Final report

New progress reports
Dr Melinda Perkins on the project: Improving Phytophthora resistance in Newcastelia. It can be seen here.
Karen Johnson on the project: Determining the pollinators of rare and endangered Epacris species: implications for conservation. It can be seen here.
Dr Katherine Downes (formerly Baker) on the project: Germination Requirements of the Lesser Known Kangaroo Paw and Catspaw Taxa. It can be seen here

Change of address
The University of Sydney has closed its Holme Building mail system, and accordingly the postal address of the Foundation has been changed to:
Australian Flora Foundation Inc.
PO Box 21
Dulwich Hill NSW 2203
Please use this address for all postal communications.

Queensland floods
With her final report, Margaret Johnston sent this comment

'I am sorry the report is late but we have had a disrupted fortnight. My son runs a small business in Toowoomba which had 70 cm of storm water and considerable stock loss as there was no warning. Such events are unheard of in Toowoomba although some historic pictures taken in 1906 show a similar event. However, I am just thankful that that he is safe, given the tragic events and loss of life that occurred in the Lockyer valley.

I have worked at Gatton since 1989 and this is the first time that I was unable to get to work. The Toowoomba range is severely damaged, (one lane each way only) and all other routes via Murphy's Creek and Flagstone creek also damaged. We are learning to be very patient, my 35 min drive now takes 60-90 mins. Similar disruptions are happening for those living in Brisbane.

The main railway line down the range is severely damaged as is the gas line, so say nothing of the damage to the transport systems in Brisbane.

These are challenging times.'

On behalf of the Australian Flora Foundation:

You have our appreciation and admiration as you and your colleagues cope with this terrible disaster.

Peter Goodwin

Essay competition
The winner of the Australian Flora Foundation Essay Prize for 2010 was Amy Predergast, University of Western Australia. Congratulations Amy! Her essay and the judges comments can be found here.

Bequest
The Foundation belatedly acknowledges with gratitude a generous bequest to the Research Fund from the Estate of the late Mrs Eileen Croxford. For more information on Eileen see Newsletter 10.


		Australian Flora Foundation
	*Banksia menziesii*	Fostering research into the biology and cultivation of Australian plants
	*Banksia menziesii*	News Introduction The Australian Flora Foundation helps us find answers about Australian plants. Much more is known about introduced plants in Australia than our native plants! So little is known in detail because so few resources have been provided. You can help the Foundation to foster research into the biology and cultivation of Australian plants. The generous support of members, donors and sponsors makes it possible to fund many worthwhile projects. How to help. Membership Greater knowledge and understanding is needed in order to cultivate and utilise our flora, and to ensure the survival of our plants in natural habitats. This website details grants and reports from projects we have supported, and students awarded the young scientist prize. Research workers with projects they believe the Foundation might support should go to Information for researchers. For easy access to information by particular research workers, or on particular Australian species, try the search page. News 10 April 2013 New final reports Nicholas Paul James Cook University, Townsville “Green caviar” and “sea grapes”: Targeted cultivation of high-value seaweeds from the genus Caulerpa Final report Carola Kuramotto de Bednarik Australian National University Relative importance of fire regimes and environmental gradients for the distribution of rainforests in the Sydney region Final report Karen Johnson University of Tasmania, Hobart Determining the pollinators of rare and endangered Epacris species: implications for conservation. Final Report Catherine Lovelock School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia The capacity of native saltmarsh halophytes to remove salt from saline wastewater discharge - an experimental assessment of salt uptake mechanisms in common Australian saltmarsh chenopods. Final report* Note that this is a summary of the disasters which terminated this project, not a final report. Newsletters* The most recent Newsletter (January 2013), and links to earlier newsletters in the New Series are here. Young Scientist awards for 2012 The Ecological Society of Australia conference was in Melbourne in December. Student presentations made up a significant portion of talks and posters at the conference. About two thirds of the 60 posters were presented by students and there were 142 student speakers. Plant ecology and biology themes were well represented. The two AFF award winners were: Veronica Briceño Rodriguez from the Australian National University for her poster presentation entitled “How to keep your bits warm: Ice barriers protect reproductive organs from frost damage in the alpine plant Loiseleuria procumbens”. Summary and Cassia Read from the School of Botany, University of Melbourne for her talk“Using biological soil crusts to assess condition of semi-arid ecosystems”. Summary Previous award winners can be found here. Call for Applications for Research Grants for funding in 2014 The Foundation is now calling for applications for research grants to begin in 2014. Details and the application form can be found here. Preliminary applications will be accepted until 18^th March 2013. 30^th Annual General Meeting The 30^th Annual General Meeting of the Australian Flora Foundation was held at the the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan on Monday 26^th November 2012. A new Council was elected, being the same team as in 2012. Details can be seen here. A summary of the Foundation's expenditure in the 2011/12 financial year, presented at the AGM is here. The President's Report for (1982 to) 2012, also presented at the AGM is here. This provides an overview of the activities of the Foundation over the past thirty years. New Grants Following the Council Meeting on 13^th August 2012 the Australian Flora Foundation is pleased to announce new grants to • Guomin Huang Climate change impacts on genetically differentiated Telopea speciosissima (NSW Waratah) costal and upland populations. • Edward Tsen A spatial genetic study of historic gene flow and demographics of a rare tropical tree Ryparosa kurrangii. For more details New final reports Catherine Lovelock School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia The capacity of native saltmarsh halophytes to remove salt from saline wastewater discharge - an experimental assessment of salt uptake mechanisms in common Australian saltmarsh chenopods. Final report* Note that this is a summary of the disasters which terminated this project, not a final report. Jon Luly¹, Joe Holtum² and Michelle Waycott³* ¹School of earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University Townsville Q 4811; ²School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University Townsville Q 4811; ³State Herbarium of South Australia The status of the waddi tree (Acacia pence) in Queensland. Summary Final report Stefani S. Griesser, Shakti Prakash and Hans J. Griesser, Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 Plasma discharge treatment for improved germination of seeds and killing of fungal spores on seed coats Summary Final report New progress reports Dr Melinda Perkins on the project: Improving Phytophthora resistance in Newcastelia. It can be seen here. Karen Johnson on the project: Determining the pollinators of rare and endangered Epacris species: implications for conservation. It can be seen here. Dr Katherine Downes (formerly Baker) on the project: Germination Requirements of the Lesser Known Kangaroo Paw and Catspaw Taxa. It can be seen here Change of address The University of Sydney has closed its Holme Building mail system, and accordingly the postal address of the Foundation has been changed to: Australian Flora Foundation Inc. PO Box 21 Dulwich Hill NSW 2203 Please use this address for all postal communications. Queensland floods With her final report, Margaret Johnston sent this comment 'I am sorry the report is late but we have had a disrupted fortnight. My son runs a small business in Toowoomba which had 70 cm of storm water and considerable stock loss as there was no warning. Such events are unheard of in Toowoomba although some historic pictures taken in 1906 show a similar event. However, I am just thankful that that he is safe, given the tragic events and loss of life that occurred in the Lockyer valley. I have worked at Gatton since 1989 and this is the first time that I was unable to get to work. The Toowoomba range is severely damaged, (one lane each way only) and all other routes via Murphy's Creek and Flagstone creek also damaged. We are learning to be very patient, my 35 min drive now takes 60-90 mins. Similar disruptions are happening for those living in Brisbane. The main railway line down the range is severely damaged as is the gas line, so say nothing of the damage to the transport systems in Brisbane. These are challenging times.' On behalf of the Australian Flora Foundation: You have our appreciation and admiration as you and your colleagues cope with this terrible disaster. Peter Goodwin Essay competition The winner of the Australian Flora Foundation Essay Prize for 2010 was Amy Predergast, University of Western Australia. Congratulations Amy! Her essay and the judges comments can be found here. Bequest The Foundation belatedly acknowledges with gratitude a generous bequest to the Research Fund from the Estate of the late Mrs Eileen Croxford. For more information on Eileen see Newsletter 10. Project seeking sponsorship A tribute from the Australian Flora Foundation to Bill Payne is here. A tribute to Val Williams is here Website comments to pbgoodwin@iinet.anti-spam.net.au. Remove .anti-spam before using this email address.