Light and dark adaptation mechanisms in the compound eyes of Myrmecia ants that occupy discrete temporal niches
By: Narendra A, Greiner B, Ribi WA & Zeil J. Journal of Experimental Biology 219, 2435-2442. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
This week’s newsletter is a bit late as Friday was an all-day kick-off workshop for Stage II of the NSW OEH Adaptation Hub Biodiversity Node, closely followed by Open Day and I am only just recovering now! Both events went very well – a big thanks to everyone who contributed to Biology’s displays and student talks and advising on Saturday – photos and details in next week’s newsletter (please send me any good images you have of Open Day!).
We’re now well into August so if you haven’t signed off on 2015’s Professional Development & Review (PDR) or completed your 2016 PDR plan, please do so now! The carrot for doing this is that the department looks good if our PDR completion rates are high, while the stick (for academic staff) is that your PDR must be up to date for you to be eligible to apply for promotion or OSP.
Don’t forget that this Thursday our Executive Dean Barbara Messerle will be visiting the department – please join us 1-2pm in the Biology tearoom for lunch to meet with Barbara and hear about the Faculty’s plans for the next few years.
cheerio
Michelle
Save the Date
This coming week 20th – 26th August
Sat 20th; Open Day; 10:00am – 3:00pm; Biological Sciences Courtyard and E8C-106.
Wed 24th: Morning tea with HoD; 10:30am – 11:00am; The Hill.
Wed 24th: Departmental Seminar – Joey DiBattista – Genetic approaches to cataloging the form and function of biodiversity in our oceans; 1pm – 2pm; E8A-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Thu 25th: Executive Dean Barbara Messerle visit and lunch with Biological Sciences; 1pm – 2pm; E8A-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Following week 29th August – 2nd September
Tue 30th: R-Users’ Group – Introduction to ggplot2; 3:00pm – 5:00pm; E8A-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Wed 31st: Departmental Seminar – Dan Warren – Learning to love terrible species distribution models; 1pm – 2pm; E8A-280 (Biology Tea Room).
Coming up
Sept 8 and 15th; GGREP Masterclass on “Trait Ecology”
Sept 15th; Department Secret Safety Activity
Sept 19th: ECR research showcase day.
Sept 20th: Graduation for Biological Sciences, 2.30-4pm. Register for the academic procession here
Oct 26th; Faculty Safety day
Oct 31st: Applications for domestic (APA) PhD scholarships due.
General News and Announcements
NSW OEH & EPA visit the Plant Growth Facility
The experiments on aquatic plant response to nutrients conducted by PhD student Guyo Duba Gufu and Anthony Manea in collaboration with Sydney Water, have created a lot of interest from staff from NSW Environment Protection Authority and Office of Environment & Heritage. They visited the Plant Growth Facility on Thursday and were given an overview of the experiments and a tour, followed by afternoon tea.
Women in STEMM
Women in STEMM Australia is thrilled you have joined with us and we would like to share the posting below with you, especially given your long history and commitment to advocacy and action for women in STEMM. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do.
It was a privilege to share the In Her Own Words project on ABC Radio National today. Six women who were all inspiring scientists in Australia – pioneers in their fields, smashing ceilings, destroying stereotypes. Their stories come to life: Dora Lush, Isobel Bennett, Dorothy Hill, Nancy Millis, Jean Laby and Hanna Neumann. Thanks to all of the women in STEMM who have come before us. This is for you. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/in-her-own-words-science-week/7749328#
Biological Sciences Weekly Seminar Series
Day/Date/Time/Place: Wednesday, 24th August, 1 – 2pm, E8A-280 (Tea Room).
Speaker: Joey DiBattista
Title: Genetic approaches to cataloging the form and function of biodiversity in our oceans
Abstract: Biodiversity plays a critical role in the resilience of natural systems. Although there is a directed effort towards understanding current threats to biodiversity (e.g. climate change), very little research examines the origins of such biodiversity and how it is maintained. I address these fundamental questions by summarising a multi-disciplinary genetic survey of Red Sea and Arabian Sea marine fauna, with a particular focus on endemic and widespread reef fish. This work flows into some of my more recent trials using next-generation sequencing technology to help audit marine biodiversity via degraded DNA sources, thus improving best-practice management for coral reef ecosystems.
Plants of the Week!
Proteaceae – Banksia, Hakea, Grevillea, Persoonia.
Senior Scientific Officer (Bio-Research Park)
Josh Aldridge, joining us from the Sydney Institute if Marine Science (SIMS), has recently started working in the team led by Marita Holley. Josh has a strong background in the design and operation of research aquaria systems having worked at Sydney Aquarium, Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre and most recently SIMS. He also has broad experience across a variety of other research environments, being comfortable in the lab performing procedures like dissections and titrations or 30 metres underwater deploying acoustic receivers.
You can find him in E8A 264.
Visiting student looking for volunteer opportunities
Emilie Munro is a visitor from the UK who is here on a gap year before taking up a a place at Oxford to read Biology. She writes ”I would be very interested in volunteering in your department. I am passionate about biology and animals in particular, so any way in which I could help—working in the laboratory, research, working with any animals you have on site, in the Fauna park or the Seawater Facilities—would be fantastic”. Please let me (Michelle) know if you would like her to join your research group as a volunteer and I will put you in contact with her.
Visiting Academic
Dr. Sergio Naretto is a Visiting Associate from Argentina involved in collaborative research on signalling and communication in Australian lizards with Martin Whiting. He will be with us between 16 August 2016 to 12 February, 2017. Please make him feel welcome.
“I am a behavioral and evolutionary ecologist. I am interested in sexual selection and the influence of the environment and social context on fitness in lizards and how these factors influence animal behavior under different conditions. My previous research has examined morphological characters considering the spatial-temporal availability of mate as a resource. In Salvator lizards, I found that a significant correlation between jaw muscle and testis mass; moreover, jaw muscle is associated with sperm presence, suggesting that the relative size of jaw muscle acts as an honest signal of reproductive condition of males. I also explored influence of intra and interspecific selective pressures on reproductive parameters in allopatry and sympatry conditions. Finally, considering that my work has involved studying the life history and reproduction of the large lizards from South America, which have been exploited historically due to their skins posses a high commercial value. I have contributed to conservation of species with specific information in order to improve the management tools”
New HDR Student
Anindita is working with Linda Beaumont to investigate the responses of migratory birds to climate change. Anindita’s project aims to develop a global database of phenological migration trends; test relationships between variables such as migration timing, species traits and climatic variables; and improve methods for modelling the distribution of suitable habitat for migratory species.
Please welcome Anindita to the department!
Seminar on ‘Planning for Natural Hazards & Climate Change Adaptation’
Risk Frontiers are hosting Dr. Gavin Smith, Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence, USA. He will be giving a seminar on Thursday 25th August at 10:30 AM in the Seminar Room, Ground Floor, Siemens Building, 160 Herring Road, MQ, on the linkage between planning for natural hazards & climate change adaptation.
Up-coming Genes to Geoscience Masterclass on “Trait Ecology”
Trait Ecology – 8 and 15 September – Presented by Michelle Leishman, Mark Westoby, Ian Wright, Will Cornwell (UNSW), and Daniel Falster.
Trait ecology is a distinctive strength of Macquarie university. This masterclass will summarise the current state of trait research and identify possible fruitful future directions across multiple taxa. Both days will involve presentations and focus-group sessions. Presentations will revolve around key papers and issues in the interpretation of trait data. Focus group sessions will delve into trait analyses, the practicalities of working across multiple lab groups and the possible future directions of trait research.
The preliminary schedule for the two days is attached.
Everyone’s welcome. Please e-mail if interested in attending: g2g-admin@mq.edu.au
Trait Ecology for circ 2016-8-18
Enderby Trust Scholarship Opportunities – Southern Ocean
Scholarship opportunity for the 2016/17 Southern Ocean cruising season. Enderby invites applicants to apply for a significantly reduced price on one of their Southern Ocean voyages. A great opportunity not to be missed. Open to applicants aged 18-30 years who would otherwise be unable to travel to the Southern and Pacific Ocean. See attached flyers.
Closing date for applications : Monday 17th October 2016
SO 1617 Enderby Trust Expedition Dossiers
Ecological Society of Australia – Écology in Action’ photo competition now open!
You can find details here. Entries close 19 September.
New User Symposium 2016
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the Australian Synchrotron and the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) welcome you to the 2016 New User Symposium.
Please register at nus2016.synchrotron.org.au
The New User Symposium will introduce researchers to a wide range of synthesis and characterisation techniques at the Lucas Heights (Sydney) and Clayton (Melbourne) campuses of ANSTO. Techniques covered include: biological and chemical deuteration; powder diffraction and small angle scattering using synchrotron X-rays; X-ray fluorescence microscopy; inelastic neutron scattering; small angle neutron scattering; neutron radiography; accelerator mass spectrometry; and heavy ion microprobe methods.
These methods encompass a huge range of research areas: Biosciences and Health; Earth and Environmental Science, Advanced Materials; Engineering and Manufacturing; Energy and Sustainability Science; Chemistry; Physics; Agriculture and Food processing; Cultural Heritage and Archaeology.
For those delegates requesting travel support, please use the attached NUS2016 Registration and Travel Support documents. These bursaries will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and successful applicants will be offered both travel support and accommodation for the night of Monday 5th September (dependent on accommodation availability). More information regarding this is available on the website: nus2016.synchrotron.org.au
NUS2016_application_travel_support
TERN Stakeholder Engagement
The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network TERN (www.tern.org.au) is engaging in an national consultation process via focus group sessions to seek your feedback on its infrastructure in Sydney. Please read attached flyer for details.
Sydney Chapter for Society for Conservation Biology: Science Week Conservation Cafe TOMORROW
Saturday August 20th: Urban Birds Conservation Cafe
As part of National Science Week and the Sydney Science Festival, SydneySCB has arranged a special conservation cafe with four experts on urban birds. Book your place on Eventbrite (https://urban-birds-cafe.eventbrite.com.au)
New Publications
Nitrogen-fixing bacterial communities in invasive legume nodules and associated soils are similar across introduced and native range populations in Australia
By: Birnbaum, Christina, Andrew Bissett, Peter H. Thrall, and Michelle R. Leishman. Journal of Biogeography (2016). | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Michael Gillings spoke to ABC Radio Australia
Professor Michael Gillings from the Department of Biological Sciences spoke to ABC Radio Australia about evolutionary biology and the idea that humans are ‘buses for bacteria.’
Michelle Power was interviewed on ABC Radio National
Dr Michelle Power from the Department of Biological Sciences was interviewed on ABC Radio National regarding her study about disease transfer from bats to humans. See page 2 of the report.