A new species of spectacularly coloured flat lizard Platysaurus (Squamata: Cordylidae: Platysaurinae) from southern Africa
Whiting, M. J., W. R. Branch, M. Pepper, and J. S. Keogh. 2015. A new species of spectacularly coloured flat lizard Platysaurus (Squamata: Cordylidae: Platysaurinae) from southern Africa. Zootaxa 3986:173-192. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
Another busy week in the department – thanks to all who came along to the department meeting this week. For those of you who couldn’t be there, the slides are attached here.
cheerio
Michelle
General News and Announcements
Department Christmas Party – Volunteers Needed
We have booked in the courtyard for Friday, December 18th from 12-4 for our annual celebration. We’ll send more details closer to the date but now we are looking for some volunteers to help us host on the day. If you’re keen to help out please contact annemarie.monchamp@mq.edu.au who will put all the volunteers together.
Congratulations to Linda Armbrecht
Congratulations to Linda Armbrecht who recently won the runners up prize ($500 to attend a conference or for research) in the ATA Scientific Young Scientists Award.
Details of the competition and winning entries have been posted on the website here.
Congratulations to Dan Falster
Dan Falster won the Ecological Society of Australia’s Next Generation Ecologist Award – well done and well deserved!
MQSIS and RIBG grants 2016-2018
The Faculty is putting together infrastructure requirements for the next 3 years. If you plan to apply for infrastructure under the upcoming RIBG or MQSIS or ARC LIEF funding schemes, and you haven’t already spoken recently to Marita, then please email Michelle with details (type of equipment, cost, funding scheme) ASAP. Sorry for the short notice but we need this information by Monday please!
Supervisor Training Module
The supervisor training module ‘Managing the supervision of Cotutelle and Joint PhD students’ will be on in the E8A Tea Room Tuesday the 11th from 1-2pm. Discussions will be led by Catherine Schedlich from International Office, Rob Harcourt and Adam.
Email and Calendar Being Migrated from Google to Outlook
While this rumour has been circulating for a while, we now have been informed that the merge is imminent, with some University staff already migrated across to Outlook.
The temporary good news Veronica received from Natalia (Manager of FSE Information Technology Services) was that Google Drive will not be made defunct in the short to mid term future, which will allow us enough time to prepare for this change. Outlook apparently does have document sharing capabilities, though with a 1TB limit.
Podcast about ‘Junk Science’ from Radio National
An interesting Background Briefing podcast about ‘Junk Science’ from Radio National. You can check it out here.
Zazie Josette Crozier – has entered the world!
Amanda is now proud mum of Zazie, born 4 August. She is doing well, more details to follow. Our heartiest congratulations to the proud parents.
2016-17 round of the ABRS National Taxonomy Research Grants Program NOW OPEN
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) provides grants to Australian institutions to support Honours, Masters and PhD students to undertake taxonomic research. The ABRS also provides research grants to established researchers for taxonomic projects.
The 2016-17 round of the ABRS National Taxonomy Research Grants Program – Research and Capacity-Building Grants streams is NOW OPEN for applications.
You can find a flier for the ABRS Grants containing details for distribution amongst prospective applicants, early career and established researchers here. All applications close on 2:00pm AEDT 28 October 2015.
For more information, please contact the ABRS or check out their website here.
Accessing Student Transcripts Using eAcademic
Academics are able to access student transcripts easily using eAcademic. This can help with student advising, HDR supervisor inquiries and a range of other issues. There are instructions for accessing transcripts here or, if you need to set up AMIS access first, there are instructions for that here.
New Department Facebook Page
In the coming weeks we’ll be launching a department Facebook page. We’d like a list of people we can friend straight away to avoid that awkward fist week of posting to the ether. If you’d like to like us 
or if you have any suggestions or desire to participate please contact annemarie.monchamp@mq.edu.au.
Volunteers List
An updated version of the volunteers list can be found here.
Discussion on Taking Science to the Community
Monday August 10th at 12PM in the biology tearoom (E8A280) we will have a discussion on Taking Science to the Community: linking undergraduate teaching, research and outreach. We have a guest from Brazil, Dr Erli Costa, who will tell us about her work with using undergraduate student activities to communicate ecology and knowledge of local environments through science to schools.
We will go for soup afterwards!
Advanced Bioinformatics workshop for early career researchers, 9-13th November
Hosted by the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), this workshop is back for 2015, and early bird registration is now open. The workshop is based on the successful 2014, 2013 and 2012 workshops encompassing an intensive 5 day hands-on training course tutored by international experts (this year’s line-up of tutors Paul Stothard, Rob Knight, Martin Kircher and Remco Bouchaert), utilising the latest available software for the analysis of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), Genomics and Metagenomics data. For further info please visit the official website here.
Pre-requisites: Delegates must be familiar with UNIX environments and basic command lines, and will require an intermediate knowledge of the technology and analytical tools of NGS.
Society of Australian Systematic Biologists Jobs Page
The Society of Australian Systematic Biologists has a webpage listing lots of jobs and PhD scholarships, both in Australia and overseas. You can check it out here.
Acacia fimbriata – the Fringed Wattle
Annual Cornell Lab of Ornithology Postdoctoral Competition
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology encourages applications to our competitive postdoctoral program (www.birds.cornell.edu/postdoc) that supports innovative, independent research by early career scholars of exceptional promise. Two or more named positions are available annually, with applications due on September 8. You can find more information here
How can working with some of Australia’s smartest minds influence a budding career? Spend up to 12 weeks with CSIRO to find out.
CSIRO have more than 170 undergraduate vacation scholarships available to students this summer. You only need to be enrolled at university and be completing your second or third year of study to be eligible. They cast their nets wide with positions available in science, engineering, law and business.
These paid positions are highly competitive, so get started on a standout application (or share this with someone who will!).
Get a head start in your career now.
BioSeminar – 1PM Wednesday – Dr. Rowan Trebilco
Next week’s BioSeminar speaker is former Rhodes Scholar Dr. Rowan Trebilco of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre in Tasmania. Rowan will be talking about his work using size-based models and global-scale analysis to understand how marine food webs function. Predators feature heavily in his work…come see what he has to say!
Time & location: 1PM Wednesday in the Biology tea room (E8A 280)
Title: Size-based insights into fish community structure: a reef fish case study and Southern Ocean applications
Abstract:
Reducing uncertainty in ecosystem management and conservation is a great challenge, particularly if community structure and the processes that drive it are poorly understood. Size-based analyses and modelling offer new opportunities for simplifying and resolving key uncertainties in the structure and function of food webs, and how they might be affected by indirect effects arising from perturbations. In this seminar I’ll provide an overview of my PhD thesis research, which drew upon size-based ecological theory and models, a detailed empirical study of a kelp forest fish community at a remote island chain off the north-western coast of British Columbia (Canada), and a global-scale analysis, to give new insights into how size-based energy flows combine with energetic subsidies, local conditions and anthropogenic pressure to shape reef fish communities. I’ll then give a preview of a new program of research that will use size-based models related to pelagic habitat variables to advance our understanding of the role of mesopelagic species in Southern Ocean ecosystems and inform the development of indicators for ecological change.
Bio:
Rowan’s research examines the processes that shape marine communities and ecosystems at scales ranging from local assemblages to global biomes, with the goal of informing conservation and management. He’s particularly curious about the role that predators play in shaping the structure and function of communities and ecosystems, and he has a long-standing interest in the interface between ecological research, decision-making and environmental stewardship. While his work has a quantitative focus, it’s grounded by several years of fieldwork above and below temperate, tropical, and Southern oceans. Rowan was awarded his PhD in Marine Ecology at Simon Fraser University (Canada) in 2014, and is currently a RJL Hawke postdoctoral fellow with the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre in Hobart. Prior to his PhD, he worked for the Tasmanian state government and Australian Antarctic Division, conducting research focused on seabird conservation and management, and he completed a MSc. in Biodiversity Conservation and Management as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford in 2007.
Please fill in this poll if you want to have a chat with Rowan after his talk.
Harvard Referencing Guide used by first years
Leanne Armand has sent through this DBS.Harvard Referencing System guide used in BIOL114, 115 and 121 units as the source for our Dept’s suggested use of Harvard referencing for those units.
The library has uploaded it to “the home page of both the Marine Science guide and the Biological Sciences guide. If a revised version becomes available she will update it as necessary. Leanne’s colleague Betty is also adding it to the Harvard page of our Referencing guide.”
If anyone convening 2nd and 3rd year units wish to make comment on this outline that student may then implement as they move up and beyond 1st year, can they contact me as this will also be the future basis for BIOL116.
National Seed Science Forum, March 2016
The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is hosting the Australian Seed Bank Partnership’s National Seed Science Forum in March 2016, in collaboration with the Australian Grains Genebank and the Australian Network for Plant Conservation.
The aim of the two day Forum is to showcase research that is helping to solve critical issues relating to seed biology of Australian flora, and agricultural crops and their relatives. The aim of the Forum is to help the sharing of the latest research and ideas, enable discussions on issues being faced by industry that could be addressed through science, and it is hoped that there will be collaborations formed to advance future conservation, agricultural and restoration efforts.
The programme will include three presentation types and there are good opportunities for early career researchers to feature their work and engage with leading experts in this field of science:
1. Oral presentation (15 minute presentation, including discussion)
2. Rapid fire presentation (5 minute presentation, no discussion)
3. Poster presentation
There are also opportunities to submit a proposal for consideration in the Forum’s scientific programme (Proposals are due by 4 October 2015). The latest information flyer is available here.
Morning Tea and a Tour
Department staff enjoyed a morning tea and tour of the refurbishments (especially the purple lights!) at the Plant Growth facility this week.
Looking for Accomodation
Paul Jaschke is a new academic joining the MQ Synthetic Biology group from Stanford University. Paul is arriving with his wife and toddler in October and is looking for temporary, furnished accommodation for 2 months until they find a more permanent place to live. Please email natalie.curach@mq.edu.au if you think you can help.
New Publications
Bark ecology of twigs vs. main stems: functional traits across eighty-five species of angiosperms
Rosell, J. A., M. Castorena, C. A. Laws, and M. Westoby. 2015. Bark ecology of twigs vs. main stems: functional traits across eighty-five species of angiosperms. Oecologia 178:1033-1043. | Find with Google Scholar »A tool to assess potential for alien plant establishment and expansion under climate change
Roger, E., D. E. Duursma, P. O. Downey, R. V. Gallagher, L. Hughes, J. Steel, S. B. Johnson, and M. R. Leishman. 2015. A tool to assess potential for alien plant establishment and expansion under climate change. Journal of Environmental Management 159:121-127. | Find with Google Scholar »Unrelated helpers neither signal contributions nor suffer retribution in chestnut-crowed babblers
Nomano, F. Y., L. E. Browning, J. L. Savage, L. A. Rollins, S. C. Griffith, and A. F. Russell. 2015. Unrelated helpers neither signal contributions nor suffer retribution in chestnut-crowed babblers. Behavioral Ecology 26:986-995. | Find with Google Scholar »When Science Places Threatened Species at Risk
Meeuwig, J. J., R. G. Harcourt, and F. G. Whoriskey. 2015. When Science Places Threatened Species at Risk. Conservation Letters 8:151-152. | Find with Google Scholar »Conspecific density modulates the effect of predation on dispersal rates
Hammill, E., R. G. Fitzjohn, and D. S. Srivastava. 2015. Conspecific density modulates the effect of predation on dispersal rates. Oecologia 178:1149-1158. | Find with Google Scholar »Genetic similarity is broadly associated with genetic polyandry in birds: a comment on Arct et al.
Griffith, S. C. 2015. Genetic similarity is broadly associated with genetic polyandry in birds: a comment on Arct et al. Behavioral Ecology 26:970-971. | Find with Google Scholar »MOLECULAR DETECTION OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE DETERMINANTS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATED FROM THE ENDANGERED AUSTRALIAN SEA LION (NEOPHOCA CINEREA)
Delport, T. C., R. G. Harcourt, L. J. Beaumont, K. N. Webster, and M. L. Power. 2015. MOLECULAR DETECTION OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE DETERMINANTS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATED FROM THE ENDANGERED AUSTRALIAN SEA LION (NEOPHOCA CINEREA). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 51:555-563. | Find with Google Scholar »How do native species respond to invaders? Mechanistic and trait-based perspectives
Berthon, K. 2015. How do native species respond to invaders? Mechanistic and trait-based perspectives. Biological Invasions 17:2199-2211. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Barnacles on debris could provide clues to missing MH370
Mel Bishop providing insight on SBS into the fate of MH370 using barnacles. Check out the story here. It was also picked up by Reuters and SMH.
Read more »Asking the Hard Questions on Q&A
Leanne Armand and Toni Mizerek were in the audience and asking hard questions this week on Q&A.
CLIMATE CHANGE – COMPUTER MODELLING
Leanne Armand asked: Given the emphasis placed on modelling responses to our planet’s future, are models starved for better observational data particularly in the marine environment and therefore should the one and only Australian research vessel, the RV Investigator, be out collecting relevant data, training future users and policy makers for more than the 1/2 year it is funded to do so at present?
Tell us what you think on the Q&A Facebook page
CANCER AND PAIN
Toni Mizerek asked: Many years ago my mother died painfully from cancer in California to the point where she contemplated ending her life rather than suffering so severely. Shortly after, I was diagnosed with cancer and immediately feared the pain she suffered, though luckily didn’t. Should we provide more compassion to terminally ill patients even if it means helping them end their lives?
Tell us what you think on the Q&A Facebook page
Recent Completions
PhD – Alex Ferry: New Statistical Analysis on Diatom Proxy Data for the Estimation of Past Southern Ocean Properties
Supervised by Leanne Armand