News

Elephants for the bush?

Respected Australian ecologist Prof David Bowman suggested in a recent opinion piece published in Nature (482,30 (02 February 2012) doi:10.1038/482030a), that elephants be introduced to the Australian bush. This has sparked a number of articles and conversation; for example, article links: ABC, Don Driscoll, Australian Geographic, Tom Lawrie, and SMH, Matthew Cawood. Prof Richard Hobbs was interviewed in artciles as a follow-up; for example, article links: SMH, Nicky Phillips and ABC, Anna Salleh.

Four positions available : Ecologist

Four (3 year) contracts working within the group at the University of Western Australia were recently advertised. These positions are now in the selection phase.

PhD candidate, Cristina Estima Ramalho interviewed for BBC Science & Environment

Urban ecology model 'needs to change'. The way researchers assess urban ecology needs to change in order to take into account the way modern cities are developing, a study suggests. read the entire article at the BBC

Research Associate, Lori Lach interviewed for NewScientist

New Zealand's invasive ants mysteriously vanish. read the entire article at NewScientist

2011 Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank

One of the privileges of being an academic is the opportunity to meet and talk with other ecologists. ERIE Research Group member, Dr Rachel Standish, was afforded this privilege recently as an invited participant to the 2011 Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank.

Each year since 2002, the Australian Academy of Science has a held a think tank to bring together early and mid career researchers to discuss issues of national significance. This year, participants discussed new approaches for understanding and managing stressed ecosystems. Participants were assigned to groups depending on their knowledge of one of four stressed ecosystems:

Queensland’s Surat and Bowen Basins where increasing coal-seam gas extraction threatens groundwater-dependent ecosystems and livelihoods from agriculture
Temperate native grasslands being lost due to Melbourne’s urban expansion
Ningaloo Marine Park where oil and gas exploration as well tourism is predicted to rise, the latter with its recent listing as a World Heritage area
Murray-Darling Basin where extraction of river water for agriculture has contributed to decline in aquatic ecosystems.

While the nature of the stresses and their impacts differed among the four ecosystems some common themes emerged. It was clear that good management decisions needed to incorporate both ecological and social values. Models, both quantitative and qualitative, offered a framework for assessing current knowledge and assessing the consequences of different management actions. In particular, scenario models were identified as a creative way to re-imagine the future of these stressed ecosystems. Finally, the importance of clear and simple guidelines for policy emerged, and participants were asked to distill their conversations into a few simple recommendations for policymakers and suggested priorities for future research. These recommendations will be forwarded to the appropriate ministers for potential implementation. Surely a rewarding outcome for a 2-day workshop!

Novel ecosystems : When and how do we intervene in the new ecological world order?

Novel Ecosystems Workshop (24-26 May 2011 Canada)

The idea of novel ecosystems, or systems arising because of novel species combinations and/or new environmental conditions, has become widely discussed in the ecological literature. Such systems pose immense challenges scientifically and ethically, and also from a practical and policy perspective. While there is a lot of discussion, there is, to date, little concrete advice to give to managers and policy makers on how to deal with these systems. This workshop brings together selected researchers from a variety of disciplines and also managers and policy makers who are confronting the issues surrounding novel ecosystems and how we intervene in such ecosystems in a meaningful and effective way. The residential workshop will explore the various elements of the issue and discuss illustrative case studies.

Restoration Institute 2011 (27-28 May 2011 Canada)

The Restoration Institute is a joint initiative of University of Victoria’s School of Environmental Studies and Restoration of Natural Systems Program to foster an international dialogue on emerging issues in the field of ecological restoration.

This year’s Restoration Institute, held in partnership with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) and the University of Western Australia’s Ecosystem Restoration and Intervention Ecology Research Group (ERIE), will bring together ecosystem experts and policy-makers from around the world to discuss the practical and policy issues arising from novel or no-analogue ecosystems. Participants from Australia, UK, Europe, North America, and South America will exchange real world examples of novel ecosystems and discuss their policy implications, and consider what “novelty” means for the future of ecological restoration. visit web-site