Blog Archives

Cryptic but important genetic differences within species

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Noby Leong

As Charles Darwin noted, the physical differences between individuals of a species are important for their future survival and success (or not). However there are also many not so obvious differences (known as cryptic variation) between individuals that give us important insights into the evolutionary and ecological history of a species. This information is important for how we make use of […]

Posted in Conservation Science and Technology, Environment Institute | Tagged adaptation, Andrew Lowe, biodiversity, Biodiversity Revolution, cryptic differences, evolution, Matt Christmas |

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eScience. Snotty Gobbling Weeds

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Noby Leong

We live in a time of rapid change. The biodiversity in Australia is declining and many plants and animals are in danger of being lost forever. One pernicious threat to Australian biodiversity are weeds, which hog space, light, water and nutrients, leaving none for neighbouring plants. Finding ways to cheaply and efficiently control weeds is […]

Posted in eScience | Tagged biodiversity, eScience, Robert Cirocco, snotty gobble, weeds |

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Media release: Volcanic vents preview future ocean habitats

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Environment Institute

A world-first underwater study of fish in their natural environment by University of Adelaide marine ecologists has shown how predicted ocean acidification from climate change will devastate temperate marine habitats and biodiversity. Published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, the researchers used natural CO2 underwater seeps to study how entire ecosystems have been impacted […]

Posted in MBP, Media Release, News, Publications | Tagged Associate Professor Ivan Nagelkerken, biodiversity, Climate Change, ocean acidification, Professor Sean Connell |

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Media release: Genomics research to benefit wine and biodiversity

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Environment Institute

Two new research projects at the University of Adelaide will use leading genomic expertise and technologies to benefit the wine industry and biodiversity conservation. The two projects have won funding from the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF), enabling them to access AGRF’s genotyping and genome sequencing services. Researchers aim to use the latest genomics technologies […]

Posted in ACAD, Media Release | Tagged ACAD, biodiversity, Professor Alan Cooper |

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Podcast: Human health is dependent on the health of our environment

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Environment Institute

Professor Philip Weinstein, Head of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Adelaide, was interviewed by Sarah Martin from Radio Adelaide’s Sound of Science program. The loss of biodiversity not only has implications for animals and plants in the wild, but can also have negative effects on human health. Changes to our environment that have caused […]

Posted in Podcast | Tagged biodiversity, Professor Philip Weinstein |

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Amphibian Biodiversity Halved by Logging of Several Trees

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Corri Baker

A new study published today in the journal Current Biology reports that selective logging or removal of just 6-8 trees from a 2.5 acre area halves the species of amphibians and removal of just 3-4 trees from the same area can half the species of mammals. In the published paper, Associate Professor Lian Pin Koh and Suzana Barivalova […]

Posted in Conservation Science and Technology, Environment Institute, News, Publications | Tagged biodiversity, Lian Pin Koh, logging |

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Professor Andrew Lowe leads new 2.5m DNA Barcoding Project

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Corri Baker

Did you know that over 400 new species were discovered in the Amazon between 2010-2013 alone? This is just the tip of the iceberg. Professor Andrew Lowe of the Environment Institute says: “Of the estimated 10 million species that exist on our planet, only just over a million have so far been identified and described”. […]

Posted in Conservation Science and Technology, News | Tagged Andrew Lowe, biodiversity, DNA barcoding, International day of Biological Biodiversity |

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Barry Brook wins prestigious Scopus award.

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Corri Baker

Professor Barry Brook, one of our leaders at the Environment Institute has won the Life Sciences category of the 2013 Scopus Young Researcher Awards. The Scopus award recognizes researchers under the age of 40 for their output, impact and contribution to their field. Recently, Barry’s work has focused on climate change and biodiversity loss. Not […]

Posted in Awards, Climate, GEL, News | Tagged Barry Brook, biodiversity, Brave New Climate, Climate Change, Life Sciences, Science communication, Scopus Young Researcher Award |

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The second industrial transformation of Australian landscapes.

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Corri Baker

Inarguably colonisation and industry have changed Australia’s environment since the first fleet set foot on NSW in the late 18th Century. This first industrial age was built on natural capital, driven by the need to populate and establish, with unprecedented changes to the natural environment. In some cases we have exceeded environmental and resource limits, […]

Posted in LFP, Publications | Tagged biodiversity, Climate Change, Environment Institute, New paper, University of Adelaide, Wayne Meyer |

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ACEBB/EELS/EI Seminar Series podcasts available

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Corri Baker

The Environment Institute, the Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity and the Ecology, Evolution and Landscape Science academic group in the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences hold a regular seminar series during semester. The series includes seminars with invited high-profile speakers from across the Institute’s subject areas, including marine and climate science, energy, […]