The modelling and assessment of whale-watching impacts
New LF, Hall AJ, Harcourt R, Kaufman G, Parsons ECM, Pearson HC, Cosentino AM, Schick RS, The modelling and assessment of whale-watching impacts. Ocean & Coastal Management. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2015.04.006. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
don’t forget Monday’s book launch of Austral Ark, 10-11 in the E11A Level 2 function room.
cheerio
Mariella
ps- a bumper paper crop this week!!!
General News and Announcements
Discussion of Learning & Teaching Green Paper
Next Thursday (30th April) from 12-1pm in the Biology Tea Room, Sherman Young will be visiting the Department to present an update on the Learning & Teaching Strategy . This is an opportunity for discussion and to provide feedback.
You will find the green paper here:
Next week’s lunchtime seminar: Dr Peter Scanes, NSW OEH
What can we learn from NSW’s most pristine estuary?
Nadgee Lake, on the border between NSW and Victoria is the most pristine estuary in NSW, its catchment has never been logged, no road has ever been built in the catchment and there has been severely limited visitation of the lake itself for at least 20 years. So, what can we learn from places like this?
This talk will focus on 8 years of work in Nadgee Lake and how it has influenced thinking about estuarine reference condition, typology, some of the international paradigms of estuary function, the role of catastrophic events and the concept of alternative stable states. The talk will draw on data from other NSW estuaries to develop these ideas and explore how they have influenced current management of estuaries in NSW.
Cakes and papers
Rob Lanfear wants to help you celebrate your publishing success. If you have just had a paper published or accepted, bring it along to Wednesday’s morning tea along with some cake.
Conservation Cafe
SCB Sydney is hosting the next Conservation Cafe on May 2nd with Michael McFadden from the Herpetofauna division at Taronga Zoo (see attached flyer). Michael is currently working on developing techniques to improve captive breeding and rearing success in threatened Australian frogs and reintroduction biology.
Postgraduate Student Rep for Senat
Belinda Fabian is a candidate for the postgrad research student representative on the Academic Senate and she would really appreciate your support.
Belinda believes it’s crucial for postgraduate students to be represented at all levels within the university, especially in the Academic Senate (the body responsible for all academic matters which makes decisions relating to your candidacy). As a research candidate, Belinda understands the needs of postgraduate students, especially those new to research. Research places heavy demands on students, so make sure your interests are well represented. It’s important to Belinda that university policies assist postgraduate students to complete their research, not place unnecessary obstacles in their path.
You would have received two emails earlier this week from Deidre Anderson with your personalised voting links (one for Academic Senate and one for University Council). Please take two minutes out of your busy day to cast your vote. Make sure you have your say about who represents your interests.
Belinda is a member of the Functional Plant Biology Lab and can be found in E7B 240, on x8301 or belinda.fabian@students.mq.edu.au.
Call for abstracts: Learning and Teaching Week September 2015
Learning and Teaching Week for 2015 will be held from 14 – 17th September 2015. We seek your enthusiastic participation in this endeavour. The theme for this year is Connect More which aligns with ideas presented in the Green Paper.
The Call for Proposals is now open and the online submission process will be closed on Friday 15 May. For details and the links to complete your submission, please go to http://staff.mq.edu.au/teaching/workshops_programs/ltweek/
We have also attached the Call for Proposals and the Selection Criteria.
We are also seeking reviewers. If you are interested, please contact Liz Shoostovian directly on Elizabeth.shoostovian@mq.edu.au.
Farewell to Brian Hayes
METS would like to invite you to join us for a morning tea to thank Brian for the invaluable service he has provided to the University over 28 years. Please join us next Wednesday 29 April to wish him well.
· When: Wednesday, 29 April
· Time: 10.00am
· Where: METS F9B
For catering purposes please RSVP by accepting our invitation or send an email to Bonnie.lipman@mq.edu.au or nanette.bertoldo@mq.edu.au by Monday 27/4/15.
Careers in Biological Sciences – Please advertise to your students
Tips. Opportunities. Networking lunch.
CSIRO, EY, Teach NSW, Office of Environment and Heritage, Covance, and Science People
4th May 10-12pm L3 Campus Hub C10A
heated DEBATE
insightful TALKS
practical Q&As
delicious NETWORKING
All UG and PG students are welcome
Register on https://www.careerhub.mq.edu.au/ViewEvent.chpx?id=204611
Jobs – Lectureship Animal Behaviour/Psychology
Job reference : P48356
Application closing date : 18/05/2015
Location : Exeter
Salary : salary range £33,242 up to £40,847 on Grade F, depending on qualifications and experience.
Package : Generous holiday allowances, flexible working, pension scheme and relocation package (if applicable)
Job category/type : Academic
College of Life and Environmental Sciences
We are seeking to appoint two Lecturers in Psychology who will contribute to extending the research profile of Psychology at Exeter. Candidates with an outstanding research profile in any area that will complement and extend our world-leading research in clinical psychology; social, environmental and organisational psychology; cognitive psychology and neuroscience, and animal behaviour are invited to apply. However, we are particularly keen to encourage applications from candidates in the areas of clinical psychology and animal behaviour.
The successful applicant will hold a PhD in Psychology area and have an independent, internationally-recognised research programme in an active field of Psychology research related or complementary to existing Exeter strengths. He/she will be able to demonstrate the following qualities and characteristics; a strong record in attracting research funding, or demonstrable potential to attract such funding, teamwork skills to work in collaboration with existing group members, an active and supportive approach to inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research that will help to foster interactions and links both within the University and externally, the attitude and ability to engage in continuous professional development, the aptitude to develop familiarity with a variety of strategies to promote and assess learning and enthusiasm for delivering undergraduate programmes.
We are keen to receive applications from the widest talent pool and to encourage this applications from those wishing to work part-time or on a job share basis are encouraged.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Head of Psychology, Prof Mark Levine (tel: 01392-726448, email: M.Levine@exeter.ac.uk ) to discuss the posts further. You may also wish to consult our web site at http://psychology.exeter.ac.uk/index.html for further details of the Psychology Department and the College.
To view the Job Description and Person Specification document please click here.
The department is proud to have a Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of their commitment to providing equality of opportunity and advancing the representation of women in STEM/M subjects.
The University of Exeter is an equal opportunity employer which is ‘Positive about Disabled People’. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented in the workforce.
National ECR Network
The ECR Network is a program to equip researchers with the knowledge and skills to increase the impact of their research and careers. Impacts in the community, impacts in research, and impacts outside academia. ECR Network events are exclusively for early career researchers, late-stage PhD students and mid-career researchers.
The Network will be holding two events which will be of interest to all ECRs. Both events will be live streamed, and staff can register using their MQ email address.
Taking Science Communication to the Next Level
This event will show you how to take your science communication to the next level. We’re moving past the basics to show you how to maximise the impact of your research. From finding the connection to your audience, to making your story stand out, and taking control of your own production, these science communication professionals will show you the secrets of great science engagement.
Date: Monday 4 May 2015
Time: 5:30pm to 8:00pm
The amount of funding the government spends on research every year far outweighs the amount of money administered through the ARC and NHMRC competitive grants schemes. Find out how to access this hidden research funding at this special event moderated by Professor Tanya Monro
This event will be based around the national research priorities. If you think that they provide an opportunity for your research and to build relationships with end users of your research, we recommend you attend this event. The research priorities are attached, please read them before attending this event.
Date: Tuesday 2 June 2015
Time: 8:50am to 12:00pm
Room wanted
Culum has a new PhD student recently arrived from Portugal. If you have a room to rent please get in touch with Catarina directly: catarinavilapouca@gmail.com
Plant EcoPhys meeting RESCHEDULED TO MAY 4TH 2015
The meeting will now be on Monday May 4th at 4pm at Sydney Uni.
More details to follow, but our speakers will be Dr Mike Aspinwall from HIE at UWS, and Dr Steve Van Sluyter from MQ.
Ethical Fashion Guide
Interesting reading!
Do you have research collaborations with Japan or South Korea?
Please let me know by the 28th…
1. Please describe any successful collaborations.
2. Please provide names of key people that you would recommend meeting with, in case there are any future visits to Japan and South Korea.
email to: marie.herberstein@mq.edu.au
SIMS Public Lecture Series
Expansion of the Tropics – Climate Windows for Polynesian Colonisation of the Pacific & the evolution of the East Australian coastline
Who: Prof Ian Goodwin
When: 29th April 2015, 7pm
Where: SIMS Conference, 19 Chowder Bay Rd Mosman
RSVP to sims@sims.org.au by 24th April
A signature of modern climate change is the poleward expansion of the tropics, but has it happened in the recent millennia. A/Prof Ian Goodwin will describe how his group at Macquarie University have reconstructed the Pacific climate, decade by decade for the past millennium. He will describe how climate change opened windows of opportunity for Polynesian seafarers to use changing windfields to voyage and colonise the Pacific, in particular, Easter Island and New Zealand, during the Medieval Period. At the same time these ocean winds and waves were shaping our modern East Australian coast, and Ian will provide an insight into waves and coastal evolution.
Bio: Ian is Associate Professor in Climate and Coastal Risk at Macquarie University, and a researcher at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. Ian leads the Marine Climate Risk Group at Climate Futures at Macquarie. Ian has 30 years research experience in the fields of climatology, paleoclimatology and climate change science, coastal and marine geoscience, coastal oceanography, and polar glaciology.
NTEU biennial Survey “State of the Uni”
As you may be aware, the NTEU has launched the “State of the Uni” biennial survey designed to establish longitudinal data on staff attitudes to
- Work and working conditions.
- Universities as employers.
- The sector.
- The unions that represent staff in the sector.
This is intended for all staff including professional/general staff, academic staff, members and non-members, casual, contract and continuing.
Unfortunately, we have found that many staff have not received the email inviting them to participate because the University’s firewall has blocked the communications.
We are seeking your help in ensuring that all staff in the university have the opportunity to have their say. Please check with your colleagues and make sure that they have received the email, and if necessary, please forward this email to them. The survey can be accessed through the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8Q3HR2V
Scientists in School
Congratulations to Leanne Armand who has joined Scientists in School. If you are interested in joining visit here: http://www.scientistsinschools.edu.au/
Scholarship & Prizes infor session
You are invited to an information session to learn about the following prestigious external scholarship opportunities:
· Rhodes Scholarship
· Sir John Monash Awards
· Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships
· Cambridge Australia Scholarships
· German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
This event is being held on Tuesday 5 May 2015, 10am – 12pm, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Room 265/7, 99 Talavera Road, Macquarie Park (see attached campus map – G24).
If you would like to attend please register by 1 May 2015 at: https://secure.mq.edu.au/RegForms/view.php?id=194
Professor Jaimie Dick of Queen’s University visit to Sydney
Professor Jaimie Dick of Queen’s University, Belfast is visiting Sydney University for the next 5 weeks, hosted by A/Prof Peter Banks. He is an invasion ecologist, particularly interested in comparative functional responses across a wide range of taxa and habitats.
He is extremely interested in talking to researchers about his work and discuss collaborations while he is here, either individually or in small groups, and is also happy to give presentations to small or large groups. Would it be possible to circulate this information around the School?
People interested in meeting up with Jaimie can contact him directly on j.dick@qub.ac.uk or through Peter peter.banks@sydney.edu.au
His website is http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofBiologicalSciences/People/ProfessorJTADick/
Your opinion needed
The Wilderness Society will be presenting the following solution to decision makers regarding the current NSW 10/50 code. If you have any opinions/suggestions/comments on this proposed solution to Kaine Johnson kaine.johnson@wilderness.org.au
The simple truth is that there can be no ‘one size fits all’ approach to mitigating bushfire risk through land clearing. Even if there was, Code 10/50 in NSW has demonstrated that individuals and collectives will abuse this system if it is implemented without appropriate checks and balances, flying in the face of all of our existing environmental protections.
We therefore call for an assessment process to be overlayed onto the current 10/50 code across all of NSW. This assessment code should be in the form of the existing Bushfire Environmental Assessment Code, which is still in place for areas currently not classified as Category 1 or 2 risk zones.
The Code was originally designed to apply to all private land in NSW, and under these proposed changes to the current NSW 10/50 Code, it will again. The only difference would be that assessors would grant consideration to whether an applicant’s property fell in Category 1 or 2 risk zones, when making an assessment.
The Rural Fire Services claim that all assessors are still employed, and therefore resources are already available to facilitate these proposed reforms.
The Bushfire Environmental Assessment Code also stipulates that an assessment will be carried out within 7 days of any clearing activity application being received. Homeowners can therefore feel comfortable that the clearing of genuine fire risk vegetation will be a quick and seamless process.
New Publications
Incorporating carbon footprints into seafood sustainability certification and eco-labels
Madin EMP, Macreadie PI, 2015. Incorporating carbon footprints into seafood sustainability certification and eco-labels. Marine Policy 57:178-181. | Find with Google Scholar »Exploring the Relationships between Mutation Rates, Life History, Genome Size, Environment, and Species Richness in Flowering Plants
Bromham L, Hua X, Lanfear R, Cowman PF, 2015. Exploring the Relationships between Mutation Rates, Life History, Genome Size, Environment, and Species Richness in Flowering Plants. American Naturalist 185:507-524. doi: 10.1086/680052. | Find with Google Scholar »Assessment strategies and decision making in male-male contests of Servaea incana jumping spiders
McGinley RH, Prenter J, Taylor PW, 2015. Assessment strategies and decision making in male-male contests of Servaea incana jumping spiders. Animal Behaviour 101:89-95. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.12.014. | Find with Google Scholar »Plastic territoriality in group-living chestnut-crowned babblers: roles of resource value, holding potential and predation risk
Sorato E, Gullett PR, Creasey MJS, Griffith SC, Russell AF, 2015. Plastic territoriality in group-living chestnut-crowned babblers: roles of resource value, holding potential and predation risk. Animal Behaviour 101:155-168. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.12.012. | Find with Google Scholar »Can spatial and temporal food variability explain the winter foraging movements of a threatened saltmarsh insectivore?
Lindsay KJ, Allen AP, Major RE, 2015. Can spatial and temporal food variability explain the winter foraging movements of a threatened saltmarsh insectivore? Austral Ecology 40:160-169. doi: 10.1111/aec.12189. | Find with Google Scholar »Hidden in plain orange: aposematic coloration is cryptic to a colorblind insect predator
Fabricant SA, Herberstein ME, 2015. Hidden in plain orange: aposematic coloration is cryptic to a colorblind insect predator. Behavioural Ecology 26:38-44. doi: 10.1093/beheco/aru157. | Find with Google Scholar »Social foraging strategies and acquisition of novel foraging skills in cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers
Keynan O, Ridley AR, Lotem A, 2015. Social foraging strategies and acquisition of novel foraging skills in cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers. Behavioural Ecology 26:207-214. doi: 10.1093/beheco/aru181. | Find with Google Scholar »Habitat selection in a deceptive predator: maximizing resource availability and signal efficacy
O'Hanlon JC, Herberstein ME, Holwell GI, 2015. Habitat selection in a deceptive predator: maximizing resource availability and signal efficacy. Behavioural Ecology 26:194-199. doi: 10.1093/beheco/aru179. | Find with Google Scholar »Cue choice and spatial learning ability are affected by habitat complexity in intertidal gobies
White GE, Brown C, 2015. Cue choice and spatial learning ability are affected by habitat complexity in intertidal gobies. Behavioural Ecology 26:178-184. doi: 10.1093/beheco/aru178. | Find with Google Scholar »Electric shock for aversion training of jumping spiders: Towards an arachnid model of avoidance learning
Peckmezian T, Taylor PW, 2015. Electric shock for aversion training of jumping spiders: Towards an arachnid model of avoidance learning. Behavioural Processes 113:99-104. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2015.01.015. | Find with Google Scholar »The potential impact of ocean acidification upon eggs and larvae of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)
Bromhead D, Scholey V, Nicol S, Margulies D, Wexler J, Stein M, Hoyle S, Lennert-Cody C, Williamson J, Havenhand J, Ilyina T, Lehodey P, 2015. The potential impact of ocean acidification upon eggs and larvae of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). Deep-Sea Research Part Ii-Topical Studies in Oceanography 113:268-279. doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.03.019. | Find with Google Scholar »Temperature and the biogeography of algal stoichiometry
Yvon-Durocher G, Dossena M, Trimmer M, Woodward G, Allen AP, 2015. Temperature and the biogeography of algal stoichiometry. Global Ecology and Biogeography 24:562-570. | Find with Google Scholar »Global variability in leaf respiration in relation to climate, plant functional types and leaf traits
Atkin OK, Bloomfield KJ, Reich PB, Tjoelker MG, Asner GP, Bonal D, Boenisch G, Bradford MG, Cernusak LA, Cosio EG, Creek D, Crous KY, Domingues TF, Dukes JS, Egerton JJG, Evans JR, Farquhar GD, Fyllas NM, Gauthier PPG, Gloor E, Gimeno TE, Griffin KL, Guerrieri R, Heskel MA, Huntingford C, Ishida FY, Kattge J, Lambers H, Liddell MJ, Lloyd J, Lusk CH, Martin RE, Maksimov AP, Maximov TC, Malhi Y, Medlyn BE, Meir P, Mercado LM, Mirotchnick N, Ng D, Niinemets U, O'Sullivan OS, Phillips OL, Poorter L, Poot P, Prentice IC, Salinas N, Rowland LM, Ryan MG, Sitch S, Slot M, Smith NG, Turnbull MH, VanderWel MC, Valladares F, Veneklaas EJ, Weerasinghe LK, Wirth C, Wright IJ, Wythers KR, Xiang J, Xiang S, Zaragoza-Castells J, 2015. Global variability in leaf respiration in relation to climate, plant functional types and leaf traits. New Phytologist 206:614-636. doi: 10.1111/nph.13253. | Find with Google Scholar »Drought and resprouting plants
Zeppel MJB, Harrison SP, Adams HD, Kelley DI, Li G, Tissue DT, Dawson TE, Fensham R, Medlyn BE, Palmer A, West AG, McDowell NG, 2015. Drought and resprouting plants. New Phytologist 206:583-589. doi: 10.1111/nph.13205. | Find with Google Scholar »Mechanisms of growth and patterns of gene expression in oxygen-deprived rice coleoptiles
Narsai R, Edwards JM, Roberts TH, Whelan J, Joss GH, Atwell BJ, 2015. Mechanisms of growth and patterns of gene expression in oxygen-deprived rice coleoptiles. Plant Journal 82:25-40. doi: 10.1111/tpj.12786. | Find with Google Scholar »The Extent and Consequences of P-Hacking in Science.
Head ML, Holman L, Lanfear R, Kahn AT, Jennions MD, 2015. The Extent and Consequences of P-Hacking in Science. Plos Biology 13:2106-2106. | Find with Google Scholar »Rapid behavioural maturation accelerates failure of stressed honey bee colonies
Perry CJ, Sovik E, Myerscough MR, Barron AB, 2015. Rapid behavioral maturation accelerates failure of stressed honey bee colonies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112:3427-3432. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1422089112. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Enhancing eco-labels for seafood
Biologist Elizabeth Madin’s research calls to revise eco-labels for seafood to include their carbon footprint.
Image: wikipedia
Read more »