BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT MATTERS | December 4, 2015

Dear all,

Firstly – GREAT news on the ERA2015 outcomes – see all the details below, but biology can be very proud of our efforts. We are clearly hugely important in Macquarie’s research standing. Thanks to the ERA champions who helped pull the data together – Mark Westoby, Mariella & Andy Barron. We can celebrate at the department research retreat on Monday at the Botanic Gardens!

Thanks to Grant for standing in for me while I was at the Ecological Society meeting in Adelaide this week and to all unit convenors who got their grades in on time and to Sharyon and her team for pulling it all together for the exam meeting.

The faculty end-of-year function is next Tuesday afternoon – there will be drinks and food and announcements of winners of the research and teaching awards. I hear whispers that biology has done pretty well in the awards department so please come along to cheer the winners and celebrate a great year (you can RSVP here). Also don’t forget to put in your calendar the department’s Christmas Party on Friday 18th December – notices will be going up soon around the corridors! And finally next week we will be saying a fond farewell and thanks to two of our long-standing admin team who are retiring – Marie Howitt & Teresa Potalivo – so please join us for morning tea in the courtyard next Tuesday 8th December from 10.30am.

Finally – Christmas approaches and it’s holiday season. We all deserve a rest occasionally so if you have some leave left over then I encourage you to book some holiday leave through HR Online and you will be refreshed for a great year in 2016!

cheerio

Michelle

General News and Announcements

Great news – ERA2015 outcomes announced

Researchers in biological sciences have demonstrated their excellence through the ERA2015 outcomes. We contribute to a number of Field of Research Codes (FoRCs) in 04 (Biological Sciences), 05 (Environmental Sciences) and 07 (Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences). The assessments are done at 2-digit level and 4-digit level. At the 2-digit level, 04 (Biological Sciences) was rated at 4 (performance above world-standard), 05 Environmental Sciences was rated 5 (outstanding performance well above world standard) and 07 (Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences) was also rated 5. At the 4-digit level, we contributed strongly to scores of 5 for Environmental Science & Management, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Plant Biology and Neurosciences, and scores of 4 for Ecological Applications, Microbiology, and Zoology.  These are fantastic results that reflect our research excellence – well done all!

For Field Workers In Fire Prone Environments

The NSW Rural Fire Service will be offering Bush Fire Awareness training for personnel who require approval to enter an active fire ground in the course of their work. This half day course on December 14th at NSW RFS HQ Lidcombe uses a mixture of audio-visual presentations, group discussion and interactive participation. All participants who successfully complete this course will receive a NSW RFS credential certifying that they have received the appropriate training to enter onto an active fire ground under specified conditions. The course content includes a mixture of wild fire behaviour, suppression strategies and tactics and how personnel working at an incident are organised and communicate with one another. Enquiries to <Ross.Peacock@rfs.nsw.gov.au>.

New Editor

Ray Duell will now be editing the weekly newsletter.  Please send him all your stories.

Visiting Distinguished Professor Jordan Price

Professor Jordan Price is a Visiting Associate collaborating with Simon Griffith on Avian trait evolution. He hails from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

“My research integrates two disparate fields of biology, animal behavior and molecular evolution, to investigate the evolutionary histories of animal traits including the songs and color patterns of birds. Most of my previous work has focused on New World blackbirds (Icteridae), a  diverse family of songbirds found throughout North and South America. At Macquarie I will be working with Dr. Simon Griffith using geographic and climatic data to investigate the origins of behavioral and morphological diversity in Australia’s unique avifauna.”

The Molecular Ecologist is Looking for a Few (More) Good Molecular Ecologists

The Molecular Ecologist has big plans for 2016, and we’re seeking new regular contributors to help make them reality.

We seek contributors with expertise and experience in our core topic, the use of genetic data to understand the past and future of the living world. We’re particularly interested in senior graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and other working scientists who can discuss basic science on a level that engages our core community of research biologists. Ideal candidates will also be excited to explain fundamental molecular ecology concepts to the general public.

Successful candidates will become regular contributors to the site, which entails

• Coordinating with blog editor Jeremy Yoder and other contributors to provide regular brief updates to the site covering “ecology, evolution, and everything in between”;
• Pitching proposals for longer-form articles to the editor — which, if approved, will be written and published to the site as major features; and
• Assisting with planned efforts to develop independent funding for the site, which will provide a budget to pay writers for feature articles and support website infrastructure.

Contributing to The Molecular Ecologist can be an excellent way to gain familiarity with current molecular ecology research, to establish connections within the scientific community, and to build a portfolio of science writing for a broader audience. We envision that contributing to the blog will be a significant professional development opportunity for early-career evolutionary ecologists, and that contributors will help to build the blog’s role as a community hub for molecular ecology research online. To this end, we are particularly interested in applications from women and from scientists whose racial, ethnic, sexual, or gender identities are underrepresented in science careers.

To apply, please e-mail a brief cover letter explaining why you want to write for The Molecular Ecologist and an appropriate sample of your writing to Jeremy Yoder at <jbyoder@gmail.com>. Applications should be received by the end of the day on 15 January, 2016 to ensure consideration.

http://www.molecularecologist.com/2015/11/were-looking-for-a-few-more-molecular-ecologists/

Plants of the Week!

New South Wales Christmas Bush – Ceratopetalum gummiferum

Western Australian Christmas Bush – Nuytsia floribunda There is something rather unusual about this photograph of the Western Australian Christmas Bush. Kevin and Alison will donate $1 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (up to a total of $50) for every person who emails us the correct answer. Answers will have to reach us before 11 am next Monday. Send your answers to: <alison.downing@mq.edu.au> A list of successful entrants’ names will be displayed on the Plant of the Week table next week.

Macquarie University Research Development Grant

Congratulations to Teresa Iglesias and Dan Warren who were awarded an MQRDG in order to develop their study on the evolution of brains in marine fish.  The project is entitled “Exploring brain evolution in marine fishes: How does ecology and behaviour impact relative investment in different brain areas?”

Presentation Success @ Technet 2015

Prasanth Subramani, Scientific Officer in the Department of Biological Sciences, won the TechNet E-Poster prize for his submission – “Kickstarting Students’ Lab Skills in the Life Sciences.”

Congratulations Prasanth, and well done.

Fieldwork Volunteers Needed

Hi my name is Samiya and I am a PhD student in the Plant Invasion and Restoration Ecology Lab (PIREL). I am looking for someone to accompany me on fieldwork from December 11th – 21st. I am looking to drive along the east coast of Australia down to Anglesea VIC and look for populations of coastal weeds for my PhD project. The ideal candidate should be able to drive an automatic car. Accommodation is provided but unfortunately you will have to pay for your own food. If you are interested in some fieldwork along some picturesque Australian beaches, please contact me at <s.tabassum@hotmail.com>.

What Makes Technicians Happy

The following list was compiled on Senior Technical Manager Rekha Joshi’s door, and presents a window into the minds of Technicians at this time of year!

New Publications

In the Media

Climate Change is Killing Our Trees

1 December 2015

In a report to be released by the Ecological Society of Australia, Dr Niels Brouwers from Murdoch University, Dr Melanie Zeppel from Macquarie University, and colleagues from the USA, suggest changes in climate are reducing tree growth and health.

“In Western Australia we found that more than 25 per cent of mature trees across 7000 hectares of forest died in response to extreme drought and multiple heatwaves in 2010-11,” said Dr Brouwers.

“We saw similar numbers of trees dying in arid areas of Queensland in response to the 2003-07 drought, and there are similar reports from around the world.”

Dr Zeppel says more frequent droughts and extreme climate events are projected for Australia, which is of great concern.

“Changing climates will dramatically affect our woodlands and forests, often with complete changes of forest communities”, said Dr Zeppel. “Dying forests also provide more fuel for bushfires, which are coming earlier in the year, with dramatic impacts on both humans and animals.”

“Tree declines also affect the animals dependent upon them,” said Dr Brouwers. “For instance, already vulnerable Australian Glossy Black-cockatoos have fewer offspring during droughts because food, such as she-oak cones, are harder to find.”

Climate change may also reduce the ability of trees to sequester carbon. “The role of forests in sucking carbon out of the atmosphere is well known. But if trees die more rapidly and are not replaced due to climate change, this critical ecosystem service is threatened.”

“There is an urgent need for more monitoring of climate change impacts on the world’s forests,” said Dr Brouwers.

The report was prepared in conjunction with Professor Giles Hardy and Dr Katinka Ruthrof from Murdoch University and the CECCWFH, Dr George Matusick from the CECCWFH and The Nature Conservancy (USA) and Dr Melanie Zeppel from Macquarie University.

Read more: http://www.ecolsoc.org.au/hot-topics/climate-change-trees-under-pressure
                   http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-01/trees-killed-by-high-temperatures-and-low-rainfall/6991146

                   http://www.mq.edu.au/newsroom/2015/12/01/climate-change-is-killing-our-trees/

                   http://media.murdoch.edu.au/climate-change-is-killing-our-trees

                   http://www.mq.edu.au/newsroom/2015/12/01/climate-change-is-killing-our-trees/#ixzz3tILYyWWJ

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