Cascading effects of Australia's ecological extinctions on biodiversity and ecosystem function

目前物种灭绝的速度如此之大，以至于被描述为“第六次大规模灭绝”。在澳大利亚的生态系统中，哺乳动物的灭绝和减少已经戏剧性地发生了，以前丰富的物种现在已经在生态上灭绝了，这意味着它们太稀有了，无法继续发挥重要的生态作用。整个功能行会的丧失可能会对生物多样性和生态系统功能产生连锁影响。该项目使用多标量实验方法来调查哺乳动物数量减少对澳大利亚生态系统的更广泛影响，并考虑到与气候的相互作用。结果将包括对欧洲之前澳大利亚生态系统状况的新见解，以及更现实的生态系统恢复目标。

The current rate of species extinctions is so extensive that it has been described as the “sixth mass extinction”. In Australian ecosystems, extinctions and declines of mammals have been dramatic, with formerly abundant species now “ecologically extinct”, meaning they are too rare to continue to play important ecological roles. The loss of entire functional guilds may have cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function. This project uses a multi-scalar experimental approach to investigate the broader impacts of mammal declines on Australian ecosystems, accounting for interactions with climate. The outcomes will include new insights into the pre-European state of Australian ecosystems and more realistic targets for ecosystem restoration.