Primary goals

• Unravel drivers of variation in soil fungi and bacteria community characteristics through soil eDNA analysis across spatial and temporal scales in a dynamic of natural regeneration within minimally managed Acacia mangium plantations.
• Identify the possibility that from minimally managed Acacia mangium plantations established in degraded grasslands natural regeneration can occur restoring the ecosystem’s historical conditions.

Key outcomes

1. Pioneer study on ecosystem recovery from minimally managed Acacia mangium plantations using cut-edge techniques: soil eDNA on microbial communities and Machine Learning techniques.
2. In this condition of minimally managed plantations close to forest remnants, Acacia mangium did not become invasive and acted as a framework species for the ingression and establishment of native ones after its senescence. 

Progress

This project commenced in Nov 2023 and is set to finalise by Nov 2026.

Lead researchers

• Jenny Vivian
• Alexandra Catling
• Alison Shapcott
• Robin Chazdon
• David Lee

Project partners

• Project Tarsier
• Shell

Sustainable Development Goals

This project works towards these UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land