Resource partitioning in gurnard species using trophic analyses: The importance of temporal resolution
By: Park, Joo Myun, Troy F. Gaston, and Jane E. Williamson. Fisheries Research 186 (2017): 301-310. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
I’m back after a long and lovely holiday with the family in the wintry colds of Europe. Thanks to the Exec Team for holding the fort! I hope that you all had a peaceful and happy break with friends and family too. I’m look forward to catching up with you all in the corridors and tearooms and gearing up for a productive and fun 2017! I have Royal Botanic Gardens Board commitments for the next two Wednesdays so department morning teas will start up again on 8th February. We have plans for a number of new social events for staff and students in 2017 so keep an eye out for annoucements!
cheerio
Michelle
Save the Date
This coming week 23rd – 27th January
Thu 26th: Australia Day Public Holiday.
Following week 30th Jan – 3rd February
Nothing happening – work hard!
Following week 6th Feb -10th February
Tues 7th Feb: Department meeting; 1-2pm; Biology tearoom
Wed 8th Feb: Department morning tea; 10.30-11am; Biology tearoom
Coming up
Feb 21st: E8A Digital Teaching Lab Induction; 9am – 12:30pm; E8A-120 (Red Lab).
Feb 23rd: E8C Digital Teaching Lab Induction; 9am – 12:00pm; E8C-106.
Feb 24th: F7B Digital Teaching Lab Induction; 9:30am – 11:00am; F7B-108 (and 105).
General News and Announcements
Bug ID
There is a bug (caterpillar) that has been munching up a lot Guyo Gufu’s experimental Azolla filiculiodes plants. A photo (x7.5 magnification) is attached here. He has not seen any adult insects. He would be glad if anybody could help him identify it. guyo-duba.gufu@hdr.mq.edu.au
Maritime Adventures
PhD student Sherrie Chambers recently represented Macquarie University aboard the Akademik Tryoshnikov, a scientific research vessel set to complete a circumnavigation of Antarctica over the next few months. A unique endeavour, the Antarctic Circumpolar Expedition (ACE) is the pioneer project of the Swiss Polar Institute, and includes 22 research projects conducted over four months on a voyage around the Southern Ocean, with stops on both the Antarctic mainland and several sub-Antarctic islands.
Sherrie was one of 49 students from around the world chosen to join the voyage in Bremerhaven, Germany, and spend almost four weeks sailing across the Atlantic to Cape Town, where the ship commenced its Antarctic expedition. Whilst on board the students participated in a maritime university, designed to provide practical experience in ship-based marine research and a better understanding of oceanography and atmospheric science. The program included a combination of lectures and practical work, where students assisted the scientists on board with their research projects.
The ACE project aims to foster an ideal of multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary science to gain a better understanding of the Antarctic region, an area that is currently severely under-sampled. The hope is that we can learn more about interactions between the ocean, atmosphere and biology of the Southern Ocean, and make more accurate predictions of future environmental change.
The Akademik Tryoshnikov is currently in Hobart, ready to begin leg 2 of her Antarctic circumnavigation. You can follow the journey and find out more about the ACE project here, and read more about Sherrie’s experiences on her blog.
Website for ARC Centre for Fruit Fly Biosecurity Innovation
ARC Centre for Fruit Fly Biosecurity Innovation, which has its ‘home’ in Biological Sciences at Macquarie, now has an official website:
http://www.fruitflyittc.edu.au/
For anyone interested in the scope and extent of fruit fly research activity at MQ, this site provides a pretty good snapshot through the ‘Our People’ link. Listed participants include the ARC Centre-funded fellows and PhD students (of which there will be 3 and 10, respectively, by mid-2017) as well as Centre-associated fellows and students who are supported through other grants for fruit fly research at the participating organisations (especially through funding to MQ from Hort Innovation Australia Ltd for development of the environmentally benign sterile insect technique for regional management of Queensland fruit fly).
Adding to the list through 2017, a few additional MQ students are still to arrive to work on functions of sex pheromones, responses to chemical signatures from predators, quality assessment of mass-reared flies, nutrigenomics, quantitative genetics of thermal tolerance, omics of fitness-related traits, sperm competition, seminal fluids, and integration of management practises. Some of these positions are currently still available, and the Centre is especially keen to recruit additional candidates from Australia and New Zealand. So if anyone knows of potential candidates please ask them to contact Centre Director, Phil Taylor <phil.taylor@mq.edu.au>.
Happy 1st Birthday to Field Friendly
This week we are celebrating the first birthday of our fieldwork program Field Friendly! The fieldwork managers would like to thank you all for your ongoing patience, understanding and diligence with helping us to make this program a success for our department. We of course appreciate ongoing feedback and aim to improve processes and practices for your safe and successful fieldwork.
New Volunteer List for 2017
A new year and new volunteers! If you are in need of help with your projects, please contact Ray Duell <ray.duell@mq.edu.au> for a copy of the latest volunteer listings.
Position Vacant
A Senior Scientific Officer position in the Microscopy Unit in currently being advertised. Please see the link below if you, or someone you know, is interested.
http://jobs.mq.edu.au/cw/en/job/500164/senior-scientific-officer-microscopy
Scientists Seeking Employment
Rajib Majumder is a PhD Scholar with Biological Sciences who is looking for a part time Research Assistant (RA) Position within the Department. He hasn’t supplied any details of his proficiencies, so please contact him on <rajib.majumder@students.mq.edu.au> to discuss his suitability for any position you may have available.
Also, Tian Tang, a clinical medicine graduate, is looking for a lab assistant or research assistant position, and is willing to volunteer in the first instance. Tian can be contacted on <tiantang1204@gmail.com>.
Lab Research Volunteer Opportunity in Animal Learning
Learning studies in lizards are rare but very exciting! How do animals figure out where to find food and shelter in a changing environment, especially in an era of urbanization and global warming? Are different species better adapted to cope with change?
Birgit Szabo, a PhD student and cognitive biologist in the Lizard Lab is looking for volunteers to help conduct a controlled lab study in eastern blue-tongue lizards at Macquarie University. It is a great opportunity to be part of an exciting cognitive study, to learn how a controlled lab experiment with animals is designed and executed, to get some experience in video coding and of course, work, handle and care for an amazing native Australian lizard.
The study is set up to start in April 2017 and will run for approximately 6 months. Currently, volunteers are needed for part of that period, from May until June 2017; however, anyone interested in participating for longer is welcome!
Volunteers are required to get to Macquarie University on a daily basis from 8am to 4pm (weekends are off). Volunteers that can cover the whole period of two months are preferred.
Desirable qualities:
+ Good work ethic, desire to learn new things and a positive attitude
+ Animal handling experience preferred (but we can train you)
+ Ability to follow a protocol and work alone
+ Being punctual, careful, and thorough
Please email birgti.szabo@hdr.mq.edu.au with a brief outline of your relevant experience and qualifications and include the names and e-mail addresses or phone numbers of two references. Please feel free to pass this onto other interested parties.
Sydney Chapter for Society for Conservation Biology: Upcoming Events:
Saturday 4th February Creative Conservation with Feathers and Fur
We’re back for 2017 and we’re kicking off the New Year with an exciting new “Creative Conservation” event! In February, we’ll be learning to draw “Feathers and Fur” using pen and ink illustrative techniques with artist Daisy Claridge (http://www.daisyclaridge.com.au/).
When: 10am – 3.30pm, Saturday, 4th February
Where: Centennial Parklands Education Centre
Price: $20 students, $30 non-students
No experience necessary! Snacks will be provided.
Please bring along some materials and lunch (see details on Eventbrite page).
Get your tickets from https://creativefeathersandfur2017.eventbrite.com.au
Interesting Article from UNE
Contributed by Rekha Joshi
Women’s March on Sydney
http://womensmarchsydney.com/
Saturday 21 January 11-2
Sydney CBD, starting at Hyde Park
This is one of the many sister marches taking place around the world in defence of women’s rights and human rights. The event will include speakers and a call to action. All are welcome!
New Publications
Is interactive technology a relevant and effective enrichment for captive great apes?
By: Kim-McCormack, Nicky NE, Carolynn L. Smith, and Alison M. Behie. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 185 (2016): 1-8. | Find with Google Scholar »Decoupled lake history and regional moisture availability in the middle elevations of tropical Mexico
By: Vázquez-Molina, Yosahandy, Alexander Correa-Metrio, Edyta Zawisza, Juan Felipe Franco-Gaviria, Liseth Pérez, Francisco Romero, Blanca Prado, Fernanda Charqueño-Célis, and Manuel Esperón-Rodríguez. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas 33, no. 3 (2016). | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Monique Ladds provided comment to Cosmos
Monique Ladds from the Department of Biological Sciences provided comment to Cosmos on the sensitivity of seal whiskers for detecting fish.
Leanne Armand was featured on ABC Riverland SA’s Mornings program
Associate Professor Leanne Armand from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured on ABC Riverland SA’s Mornings program in relation to her role as Chief Scientist on board CSIRO’s ‘Investigator’ which is on a 51-day voyage to Antarctica to develop a new understanding of the melting Totten Glacier and map the Sabrina Coast sea floor. See page 2 of the report.
Rob Harcourtwas interviewed on ABC Radio Sydney Afternoons
Professor Rob Harcourt from the Department of Biological Sciences was interviewed on ABC Radio Sydney Afternoons on captive killer whales and methods of keeping marine animals from being depressed in captivity. See page 3 of the report.
Leanne Armand was interviewed on ABC South East SA’s Mornings program
Associate Professor Leanne Armand from the Department of Biological Sciences was interviewed on ABC South East SA’s Mornings program in relation to her role as Chief Scientist on board CSIRO’s ‘Investigator’ which is on a 51-day voyage to Antarctica to develop a new understanding of the melting Totten Glacier and map the Sabrina Coast sea floor.
Leanne Armand was featured in the Adelaide Advertiser, the Hobart Mercury, the Guardian Australia and Southern Cross Tasmania
Associate Professor Leanne Armand from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured in the Adelaide Advertiser, the Hobart Mercury, the Guardian Australia and Southern Cross Tasmania in relation to her role as Chief Scientist on board CSIRO’s ‘Investigator’ which is on a 51-day voyage to Antarctica to develop a new understanding of the melting Totten Glacier and map the Sabrina Coast sea floor. See page 14 of the report.