Issue 299 – Monitoring land and water

The experimental Velkerri vertical well pad in the Beetaloo Sub-basin.

Mitigating and offsetting emissions from proposed onshore gas production in the Northern Territory

Meeting net zero targets will require mitigating and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from proposed development in the Northern Territory.

Lake Tuggeranong south of Canberra is a popular place for recreation but also often suffers from toxic algal blooms in summer. This made it a good candidate to test a new water quality monitoring system called AquaWatch. Image: Allan Sharp / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

AquaWatch: the ‘weather forecast for water quality’ that’s an Australian world first

Satellites and high-tech sensors are revolutionising the way water quality challenges will be monitored and responded to into the future.

Queensland fruit fly on leaf

New markets on the menu with plant biosecurity tool

A new science-backed tool makes it easier to select measures to reduce plant pest and disease risks related to trade. The tool opens up more options for farmers to protect biosecurity with less reliance on chemical treatments.

Illustration of an elephant bird hatching from an egg.

Eggshells tell story of extinct elephant birds

How many species of elephant birds existed on the Island of Madagascar? The answer may lie in the eggshells they left behind more than 1000 years ago.