Ecology Matters

"Many might think that a remote island, if left alone, should keep its uniqueness. But they’re under threat at the moment from impacts and drivers way bigger than ourselves." Don Whap and Madeina David are Natural Resource Management Officers with the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA). They work in close partnership with 14 communities across the Torres Strait to monitor and protect the natural values of the Sea Country in this unique region. They work alongside rangers, communities and research partners to conduct seagrass, turtle, dugong and coral reef monitoring programs. The TSRA works to protect the ecological complexity and biodiversity of the Torres Strait region, and the strong and enduring connection of Torres Strait Islander people to their islands and sea.The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (https://www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member/). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Gary Heathcote. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“Our plants have been able to cope with some of the world’s poorest soils [and] adapt to some of the strangest pollinators.” In a career spanning fifty years, Emeritus Professor Byron Lamont is recognised as one of Australia’s foremost experts on the unique flora of southwestern Australia. Recently, this included pioneering work that shows the ancestors of one of Australia's most iconic floral species, the banksias, actually migrated here from North Africa. Byron joined us to discuss this work, and his remarkable career. Byron joined Curtin University as Lecturer in Biology in 1974. Before retiring, he was the Personal Chair in plant ecology and Director of Curtin's Centre for Ecosystem Diversity and Dynamics. With over 400 papers and reviews on plant ecology, biogeography, population dynamics and genetics, and ecophysiology, focussing on the unique flora of southwestern Australia, Byron is recognised as the most highly cited researcher at Curtin University. He received a Wright Lifetime Achievement Award from the international Association of Fire Ecology in 2022. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Wikimedia Commons. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“The Northern Territory has one of the highest richness of ants in the world” Originally from Canada, François completed a Master of Science in Montreal on ant biogeography before spending two years at the University of Hong Kong researching the ant biodiversity of Macau SAR. He then undertook a PhD at Charles Darwin University investigating the effects of fire and rainfall on the ants of Northern Australia. He is also a keen photographer, often taking a camera on field trips to record and showcase the strange and beautiful smaller critters that inhabit our world. More of François’ photography can be found on his website: https://francoisbrassard.smugmug.com The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. François lives and works on Larrakia and Kungarakany land. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - François Brassard. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“There are a lot of important outcomes to this sort of pollination study.” Andrew Bird is undertaking his Masters at La Trobe University, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria, studying the pollination ecology of a threatened spider orchid. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Andrew lives and works on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong/Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Andrew Bird. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“Tasmanians as a whole are very proud of this species, that it is so unique and the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world.” Fiona Marshall has over 30 years experience in the natural resource management field at both operational and management levels. She has had extensive on-ground experience in soil erosion, river management, and river erosion works, property planning, and community engagement. As part of the Cradle Coast NRM team, she delivered environmental improvement programs for the Giant Freshwater Crayfish in targeted Cradle Coast rivers across northern Tasmania. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Fiona lives and works on the lands of the palawa kani people in Lutruwita/Tasmania. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Fiona Marshall. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“We found three species in our house that had never been documented in the Atlas of Living Australia.” Dr. Matthew Holden is an applied mathematician and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland. Some of his projects include developing methods to assess the health of fisheries, control invasive species and agricultural pests, and save threatened species from anthropogenic threats. When Brisbane went into lockdown during the 2020 pandemic, Matt and his housemates Russell Yong and Andrew Rogers made the most of all those home-hours by surveying the biodiversity of their suburban block. What they discovered surprised them, and the wider ecological community. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Matt lives and works on the lands of the Jaguar and Turrbal peoples. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Matt Holden. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“The whole purpose of a seed bank is to try and safeguard genetic diversity of wild plant populations.”  James Wood has been the Manager of the Tasmanian Seed Conservation Centre (TSCC) since 2005. Based at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, the TSCC was initiated through a collaboration between the Tasmanian Herbarium, the Tasmanian Government and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. With support from gardens staff and a team of volunteers, James works to conserve Tasmania’s unique flora by collecting, storing and learning how to germinate the seeds of as many native plant species as possible. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. James works across Lutruwita/Tasmania. The TSCC is situated on the lands of the Muwinina people. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“I found thousands of kangaroo selfies and swamp wallaby selfies, they’re up there with my favourites.” Ange is an applied ecologist who has recently returned to research after many years in the public sector. She is undertaking her PhD at Deakin University investigating the interplay of fire and wildlife using camera and video trapping on Wotjobaluk Country in western Victoria.  Mary works as a research officer at Parks Victoria with a focus on threat monitoring. Together, they are testing how artificial intelligence can reduce processing times for the many camera trap images that ecologists must often manage. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Ange and Mary work on the lands of the Gunaikurnai People, the Bunurong People, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nations, and the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk Nations. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Ange Pestell. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“As we are learning more about the soil diversity, we are also starting to appreciate better the functions that the soil perform.”  Dr Christina Birnbaum is a plant ecologist at the University of Southern Queensland. She is interested in plant interactions with below-ground microorganisms in native and novel environments, especially with rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi. She uses field observations, combined with experimental manipulations and molecular tools to explore questions about plant-microbe interactions in natural and modified ecosystems to inform invasive species management, restoration ecology and plant-microbe dynamics.  The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Christina works on the land of the Jagera, Giabal and Jarowair peoples. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - WikiMedia Commons. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“You can’t conserve eastern quolls without conserving the habitat that they are using as well.”  Dr David Hamilton is a conservation ecologist with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) and an Adjunct Researcher with the University of Tasmania. He runs ecological monitoring programs on TLC’s reserves, particularly for the eastern quoll, which help to inform TLC’s land management practices. Working across both organisations helps him to apply a behavioural ecology lens to conservation management practices in Tasmania. We sat down with David at the 2023 Tasmanian Landcare Conference. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. David works on the land of the Palawa peoples in Lutruwita/Tasmania. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - David Hamilton. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“Right across the desert, we talked to people about what their priorities were for saving the species.” Dr Rachel Paltridge is an arid-zone ecologist working with the Indigenous Desert Alliance. She joined Ecology Matters to discuss the tjakura, or Great Desert Skink, and the program that brings scientists, land managers and Indigenous Rangers together in one of Australia's largest collaborative monitoring projects. After completing her PhD on predator–prey interactions in spinifex grasslands, Rachel spent 20 years as a freelance ecologist in central Australia, working primarily with Indigenous ranger groups on projects at the interface between research and management. From 2018–22, she worked as the Coordinator of the Kiwirrkurra Indigenous Protected Area. Her research is funded by the Resilient Landscapes Hub of the National Environmental Science Program. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Kate Cranney. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

Season 3 of Ecology Matters coming soon!

"The Elders that I have met over that time, they have really influenced my thinking and inspired me to keep going." Emilie Ens is an Associate Professor at Macquarie University where she leads the Cross-Cultural Ecology and Environmental Management lab. She is passionate about creating respectful cross-cultural partnerships with Indigenous people and organisations to better understand and manage Australia’s diverse ecosystems. Emilie and her team have won a number of Awards for their cross-cultural work including Banksia, Eureka and Australian Academy of Science Awards, and in 2022 Emilie was awarded the ESA Members Service Prize in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Australian ecology. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Macquarie University is situated on the lands of the Wallamattagal clan of the Dharug Nation. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Emilie Ens.

"That's an issue that affects an animal over time, as they grow, and as these entanglements constrict them." We have known for decades that plastic pollution has a detrimental impact on marine life. We know that species like the Australian fur seal are heavily affected. And yet, there are many questions we do not have answers to: How does entanglement affect the growth, behaviour and survival of young seals? Where do these seals forage and disperse in relation to plastic accumulation and fishing hotspots within Bass Strait? Adam Yaney-Keller is attempting to answer those questions in his PhD with Monash University and Phillip Island Nature Parks.  The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Adam lives and works on the traditional land and sea Country of the Bunurong people. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Philip Island Nature Parks / Adam Yaney-Keller.

"My ultimate goal would be to enhance the way we restore seagrasses at the moment." Joining us today is University of Sydney PhD candidate Renske Jongen. Renske’s career has taken her from dreams of veterinary science, to studying the effect of climate change on winter moths in the Netherlands and juvenile fish species in South Australia. She is now investigating the role of sediment microbes in seagrass response to environmental stress and how we can use that knowledge to aid restoration of seagrass beds. Renske was awarded the inaugural 2022 Peter Fairweather Student Conference Support Award. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Renske works on the lands of the Gadigal and Cammeraigal people of the Eora Nation. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Renske Jongen

"We're [...] using language to inform the restoration and environmental work that we do." We are lucky to have two guests this episode. Lynda Maybanks is managing director of Wirrinyah First Nations Conservation Services, an Engagement Consultant with Maybanks Consultancy, and Manager of the Yugara Dancers in Ipswich. Eleanor McCall is a linguist and a Masters student at the University of Queensland, researching links between Aboriginal land management practices and language revival. Lynda and Eleanor were awarded the 2022 Bush Heritage Australia Indigenous-led science prize. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Lynda and Eleanor live and work on Yagara country. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Wirrinyah First Nations Conservation Services.

"I've always been kind of fascinated with what the landscape would have looked like before Europeans got here." Our guest today is Dr Judy Dunlop. Judy focuses on the threatened mammals of Western Australia and has played key roles in large scale fauna reintroduction and translocation programs. In 2022 she co-authored a paper looking at the role of parasites during translocation. She joined Ecology Matters to discuss why it’s sometimes important for mammals to keep these parasites and for conservation managers to resist that urge to give them the flick. This paper was awarded the 2022 Austral Award.  Judy is a research scientist with the Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife and is Executive Officer with the Western Australian Feral Cat Working Group. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. While Judy works all over the continent, she lives on Whadjuk Noongar country. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Judy Dunlop

"One of the most outstanding conservation concerns in Australia [...] is the extent of loss of [...] endemic mammal species." Professor John Woinarski has been involved in research, policy and management of Australian biodiversity for over 40 years. His career has crossed several fields, including reserve design, fire ecology, biodiversity monitoring, invasive species, the impacts of forestry, pastoralism and mining, and island biogeography. He has been awarded a Eureka Prize for biodiversity research, a Serventy Medal for life-time contribution to Australian ornithology and an Australian Natural History Medallion. He sat down with us during the 2023 ESA conference in Darwin to discuss the impacts of feral cats on wildlife.  The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. While his work takes him across the continent, John lives on the lands of the Wurundjeri people. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: phototrip from Getty Images (via Canva)

"There are a number of criteria for keystone resources and sandalwood [...] fits quite a few of them." Our guest this episode is Dr Richard McLellan. Richard is an experienced ecologist, conservationist, and program manager. He held senior positions within WWF-Australia and WWF-International, focusing on native vegetation management, forest conservation, sustainable resource use, and ecological footprint reduction. He is the chair of the Forest Conservation Fund and the Gunduwa Regional Conservation Association, an ambassador for the Western Australian Parks Foundation, and a long-time member of the World Commission on Protected Areas. In his spare time, Richard recently completed his PhD with Charles Sturt University and Bush Heritage Australia on the ecological importance of Australian sandalwood in Australia's rangelands. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Richard works on the lands of the Yamaji, Nanda, Badimia, Martu, and Wajarri-Yamaji peoples. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Richard McLellan.

"We only know about the species that we are exposed to." A picture is worth a thousand words, or so they say. Our guest this episode is looking at precisely this idea - what role do wildlife images play in conservation? How can images influence public attitudes and behaviours towards wildlife? And what effect does this have on long term wildlife conservation? Meghan Shaw is a PhD candidate at Deakin University looking into these big-picture ideas. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Meghan works on the lands of the Bunurong and Wurundjeri people in Australia and on the lands of the Dakota in the United States. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is ‘Glow’ by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit: Rob Davis from Getty Images (via Canva)