Biodiversity

Indigenous icon at risk from sea level rise

Magpie geese flock in their thousands in the Northern Territory, along the coastal flooplains. But what impact could sea level rise have on their habitat?

Ningaloo Reef’s race for its place in the sun faces uphill battle

Here's one aspect of rising sea levels to think about - the loss in light reflected through ocean waters. Marine ecologists are asking, what are the limits, and threats, to coral skyscrapers? Because coral reefs don't just spread out - they also spread up.

Revealing the one-sided nature of research into biodiversity loss

Diversity is a buzzword for the nation but when it comes to biodiversity studies done in the past decade, it turns out research has been rather one-sided.

Could saving a rainforest in India prevent the next pandemic?

An estimated 14 million people die from infectious diseases each year. A key link in the chain of infection is deforestation and increased contact between wild animals and humans. If we're to control the spread of disease, we need to be better at predicting outbreaks.

Understanding ecosystem response to water management in the Murray-Darling Basin

While knowledge of water availability is key to managing Murray-Darling Basin water resources, a commensurate understanding of ecosystem ecological response to flow regulation is also required to aid environmental management.

It’s funny to name species after celebrities, but there’s a serious side too

Scientists have been naming species after well-known people since the 18th century, often in a bid for publicity. But the issue deserves attention - some 400,000 Australian species are yet to be described.

The story of Australian waterbirds – the length and breadth of the Murray-Darling Basin

Elvis, Eric, Gracy - these ibis and spoonbill are telling their own journeying stories thanks to satellite tracking. Along with scientists on the ground monitoring populations and their movements, research will help drive effective environmental water management decisions.

Delivering flows to help native fish thrive again

Computer models will inform the delivery of Murray-Darling environmental waters to restore the flows that support thriving native fish populations.

Digitising our biological collections

Three quarters of the species that live in Australia don’t exist anywhere else in the world. We're digitisation our collections to make the data easily available to have bigger impacts in areas like conservation, biosecurity and climate change.