PhD Candidate: Zahra Emlaei

PhD Supervisors: Associate Professor Paul Rymer (WSU), Associate Professor Rachael Nolan (WSU), Dr Michael Franklin (WSU)

Project Summary: Anthropogenic climate change has led to a temperature increase of over 1.1°C since the Industrial Revolution, with projections indicating a further rise of at least 1.5°C by the end of the century. This warming is associated with extreme weather events that threaten Australia’s ecosystems, negatively impacting productivity and biodiversity. To effectively conserve these ecosystems, it is crucial to understand how plant stress and flammability are influenced by climate change. Spectral indicators offer potential, yet the mechanistic relationships within Australian vegetation remain poorly characterized.

This study investigates 32 native plant species from the Cumberland Plain, encompassing a range of growth forms, including trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Plants were grown under controlled glasshouse conditions, subjected to ambient (21-29°C) and elevated (26-34°C) temperatures, and maintained under well-watered and water-limited conditions over three months. Following a five-day heatwave (31-39°C), recovery assessments were made. Spectral, physiological, and morphological attributes were measured pre-heatwave, on the first and fifth days of the heatwave, and on the first and tenth days of recovery.

Key questions addressed include: How can spectral analyses estimate the effects of climate change on leaf traits? How do species differences influence leaf traits and spectral signatures? Additionally, how do these species interact with changing climate conditions? Understanding these relationships is essential for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change and informing conservation strategies.