Honours research projects in Victoria, Australia - management

Honours Projects on the effectiveness of different management
techniques for the conservation of hooded plovers and coexistence
with beach users.
Deakin University (School of Life and Environmental Sciences), in
collaboration with Birds Australia are offering a number of honours
research projects to begin in Semester 2, 2006, and one project to begin
in Semester 1, 2007. Each of these projects aims to explore the
effectiveness of different management techniques for the conservation of
Hooded Plovers (Thinornis rubricollis). Hooded Plovers are beach-nesting
birds that are extremely sensitive to the impacts of human recreational
activities on beaches. Persistence of the species in its Eastern range is
 dependent upon alleviating poor breeding success caused by a suite of
ongoing threats.
Birds Australia has recently commenced a project 'Promoting Coexistence
between Recreationists and Beach-nesting Birds' to address the
conservation needs of Hooded Plovers, and to promote sustainable beach
recreation, through awareness, understanding and involvement of
communities in conservation efforts. As part of this project, Birds
Australia will provide some operational funding, support and
co-supervision for several research projects, and Deakin University (Dr
Ashley Bunce) will provide supervision and support to students carrying
out these projects.
Research projects on offer:
Project 1: Design and effectiveness of chick shelters.
Project 2: Effectiveness of aversion and decoys as a method of
 predator control.
Project 3: A gradient study of compliance of recreationists to
 management regimes e.g. dog leashing regulations.
Project 4: A before and after study of compliance of recreationists
 to different managements.
Project 5*: The effect of Marram Grass on dune morphology and its
 impact on the risk of egg roll out from nests.
 * Project offered in Semester 1, 2007. All other projects will
 commence in Semester 2, 2006.
All projects are based in Victoria, Australia.
We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic students with academic
qualifications in zoology, natural resource management, environmental
science, social science or other related fields. Preference will be shown
 to students with a strong academic performance in their undergraduate
studies, with particular emphasis placed on having at least some
understanding of experimental design and statistical analysis.
Please email Grainne Maguire
<mailto:g.maguire@birdsaustralia.com.au>g.maguire@birdsaustralia.com.au
for a copy of the project descriptions and selection criteria, or if
further information is required. Applications close 28th March, 2006. The
 Birds Australia project is funded by the Australian Government's Natural
 Heritage Trust via the Port Phillip and Westernport CMA.
Grainne Maguire
Birds Australia (Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union)
National Office
415 Riversdale Rd
Hawthorn East, Vic., 3123
Ph: 03-9882-2622
Fax: 03-9882-2677
Email: g.maguire@birdsaustralia.com.au
Website address: http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au
Atlas website: http://www.birdata.com.au
ABN: 87 004 076 475
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