Plant biodiversity in the face of global change.
By: Le Roux, Johannes J., Michelle R. Leishman, Ariningsun P. Cinantya, Guyo D. Gufu, Heidi Hirsch, Jan-Hendrik Keet, Anthony Manea et al. Current Biology 30, no. 9 (2020): R390-R391. | Find with Google Scholar »
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Dear all,
We are now about to enter Stage One of the phased return to work. This may be a relief for some people or not for others! For most of us it means little change for this stage at least, with work from home remaining the default. Please see all the details you need to know below.
Meanwhile some good news from the ARC Linkage announcements – congratulations to Nathan, Grant & Anthony. Keep sending us all your news so we can let everyone know!
cheers
Michelle
Save the Date
Next Week
Special seminar: Professor Keith Leppard – Unpicking the virology of the COVID-19 Pandemic; Tuesday 26th May (hosted by Dept of Molecular Sciences – see details below)
Seminar: Professor Colin Jackson – “Rare” cofactors and pathogens: understanding the role of F420 in Mycobacteria Tuesday 26th May (hosted by Dept of Molecular Sciences – see details below)
Future Events
Tues 1st June: Department Meeting; 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Thur 4th June: Franklin Women Event, Managing relationships virtually: from teams to collaborators & networks; 2:30pm – 3:30pm (more details below)
Tues 9th – Thur 11th June: HDR Conference via Zoom; three days; 9:00am-12:30pm.
Weekly Events
Wed: Shut Up and Write sessions – now online! See below for further details
Wed: Department seminars; Schedule ON OUR WEBPAGE HERE – Chris Reid will send out notices for future seminars to be held on Zoom
General News and Announcements
COVID-19 need to know
GENERAL
- from next Monday 25th May we will start on the phased return to work. Stage One allows staff in priority areas to return to campus and will likely last for 4 weeks.
- the default in Stage One is to remain working from home. I don’t expect Stage One to be much different from the situation we are currently in ie people on campus to access infrastructure essential for them to do their work, but otherwise at home
- letters of approval to be on campus are no longer valid or required. The approval process for access to campus will be managed within the Department
- everyone on the critical or essential list will be automatically considered as approved to be on campus from May 25.
- additional people who would like approval to be on campus should email fse.bio-hod@mq.edu.au and provide details of the reason, location (room number) and days/hours (eg Mondays and Wednesdays 9am-5pm). We will manage this in relation to occupant capacity of each room. If requests exceed room capacity we will develop a roster system.
- the occupant capacity of all rooms has been determined and signs will be on all doors from next week.
- if you are travelling to work try to avoid public transport. Car parking in Zones 1,2&3 on campus are free. Cycle or walk where possible.
RESEARCH
- facilities are currently open for research. Access to labs/facilities require approval and sign-off by academic supervisor, lab supervisor and HoD (email fse.bio-hod@mq.edu.au for new approvals). Physical distancing and hygiene guidelines apply.
- Fieldwork within NSW will be approved from 1st June.
L&T
- S1 unit convenors have been wrestling with rules and processes for exams
- S1 casuals have been surveyed and the results summarised. Lots of lessons learned and a clear outcome is we will develop guidelines for convenors and teaching staff for online delivery, and develop a new induction session for casuals.
- S2 unit convenors have been notified if their request for face-to-face teaching has been approved
- Wednesday zoom drop-in sessions for teaching staff are continuing, run by Linda Beaumont
- Reminder that information about resources for online delivery are available at the FSE000 iLearn site, including the Biology section. The Faculty L&T April Newsletter also has lots of tips for online teaching and the wiki has lots of information for S2 2020 Unit Transition for COVID-19
If you need to know what the updated NSW rules are on what you can and can’t do, you can find it here
ARC Linkage outcomes announced
Congratulations to Nathan Hart and colleagues for receiving ARC Linkage funding for ‘Improving the effectiveness of electronic deterrents to prevent shark bites’ and to Grant Hose & Anthony Chariton for ‘Predicting the impacts of groundwater drawdown on groundwater ecosystems’.
More funding success!
Congratulations to Andrea Westerband who has been funded by the Hermon Slade Foundation for her research project: “Adaptive strategies of the Australian flora: unravelling the interplay between climate and soils.” The award ($83K) will be used to cover fieldwork-related expenses.
Staff Wellbeing Program – Here is an overview of “What’s online” for Wellbeing during the month of May 2020. All bookings and links can be found at https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/wellbeing/staff-wellbeing-whats-online
Online seminars:Wednesday 27 May: Join Professor Mike Jones , Department of Psychology to hear all about “Your mind and your gut – how they are connected and tips for keeping both happy.”
Recorded Seminars: Coping and Resilience Tips for Front-line Staff. If you missed this very practical and relevant seminar by Professor Nick Titov from Mindspot on 29 April, you can view the recording.
Online Apps:
Unimoves has launched a team “Coastal” challenge from 11 May – 12 June – a fun way to get active with your colleagues (4 per team)
Weekly mindfulness meditation sessions with Michelle Jamieson
Online exercise classes – hosted by our Sports and Aquatics centre
Do you have great ideas for staying connected? Want to share what your friends and colleagues are doing to stay physically distant but socially close?
Send us ideas to share, images to post on the Biology Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to Calli Miller: <calli.miller@mq.edu.au>
Plant of the Week
This Week: Pleurozia – a carnivorous liverwort?
Last year, Dr Liqin Wu, a lecturer from Guangzhou University in China (and a recent graduate of Macquarie University) sent us an unusual photograph of an epiphytic liverwort taken by a colleague Dr Xinyu Wang of Kunming Botanic Gardens. Liverworts (awful name) are a group of plants closely related to mosses, but we had never seen one like this. Although it is difficult to believe, it is probably carnivorous.
Read more: Plant of the week – Pleurozia – a carnivorous liverwort
OPPORTUNITIES
PhD position fulltime (4 years) in ‘Predicting Biodiversity Patterns with Environmental DNA (eDNA)’
The PhD uses eDNA to predict patterns in biodiversity using phyllosphere communities linked to the unique spectral signal from remote sensing within the ERC Project ‘Biodiversity monitoring from space’. This position will focus on tracing microbial communities (as discriminated by eDNA profiling) to a unique spectral signal, and then map the communities using remote sensing, complemented where available by legacy human-observed datasets. The successful applicant will have a MSc in molecular ecology, microbiology or biology, geography or similar, and has demonstrated knowledge of DNA extraction from environmental samples. An enthusiasm for biogeography and terrestrial ecology. Link to website.
Applications close: 15 June 2020
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in eDNA and Spatial Analysis
The Postdoctoral Research Fellow in eDNA and spatial analysis plays a key role within the BIOSPACE project, responsible for undertaking high quality research within the European Research council (ERC) Project ‘Biodiversity monitoring from space’. This role will focus on a fundamentally different approach to terrestrial biodiversity monitoring by coupling environmental DNA (eDNA) profiling with next generation remote sensing, complemented where available by legacy human-observed datasets. The successful applicant will have a PhD in environmental genomics or molecular ecology and is comfortable in sampling and molecular procedures as well as standard bioinformatics pipelines. An enthusiasm for biogeography and terrestrial ecology. We are looking for applicants who have demonstrated experience and a good research track record. Link: https://www.utwente.nl/en/organisation/careers/!/1189707/postdoctoral-researcher-in-edna-and-spatial-analysis
Applications close: 24 May 2020
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science & Engineering
The NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science & Engineering seek to recognise excellence in science and engineering, and reward leading researchers for cutting-edge work that has generated economic, environmental, health, social or technological benefits for New South Wales.
Over $100,000 Prize Pool, including $60,000 for the 2020 NSW Scientist of the Year.
See the NSW Premier Prizes website for more details.
The 2020 ECA Research Grants are now extended!
The Ecological Consultants Association of NSW supports ecological research in Australia and would like to award three grants each year to assist researchers to carry out their ecological projects.
- ECA of NSW Conservation Grant ($2000)
- Ray Williams Mammal Research Grant ($2000)
- Bushfire Ecology Research Grant ($1000)
Download a PDF Information and Application Form – Grant Application 2020
Download a Word Application Form – Grant Application Form 2020
Due to the uncertainty of how long the university-imposed restrictions will be in place as a result of COVID-19, the ECA NSW has decided to extend the deadline for the receipt of student grant applications to 30 June 2020.
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
Special seminar: Professor Keith Leppard – Unpicking the virology of the COVID-19 Pandemic; Tuesday 26th May
Hosted by Molecular Sciences there will be a slightly unusual extra seminar next week. This seminar has two part:
(i) Please listen to the talk on the link: : https://files.warwick.ac.uk/public/invite?id=8a1784276e93b31a017232b3ccc46a66 before 5 pm on Tuesday.
(ii) Turn up to a 5 pm zoom Q&A session on Tuesday 26th https://macquarie.zoom.us/j/94164192789 prepared to engage in discussion with Keith, who is a virologist whose first response when asked to speak to us was that he is not a COVID-19 expert just a general virologist.
This is the Macquarie/verbal analogue of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Faraday Discussions where it is assumed everyone has read the papers before the assigned time, which is devoted to discussion.
Seminar: Professor Colin Jackson – “Rare” cofactors and pathogens: understanding the role of F420 in Mycobacteria
Hosted by the Department of Molecular Sciences you are invited to their weekly seminar on Tuesday 26th May at 1pm by Professor Colin Jackson from ANU College of Science.
Date: Tuesday 26th May
Time: 1pm –2pm
Speaker: Professor Colin Jackson
Venue: https://macquarie.zoom.us/s/98332090074
Host: Dr Iniga George
Upcoming Franklin Women Event: Managing Relationships Virtually: from teams to collaborators & networks!
After a short pause while we adapted to #ISO the FW team are excited to hold our first virtual event. The last few months of intense online working have emphasised how managing virtual relationships requires a different skill set than face to face relationships. We are excited to welcome Relational Strategist, Julia Palmer, for a remote 1-hour workshop on tips for staying connected virtually, now and in the future. take a break for afternoon tea and join us to learn some new relationship building skills and connect with our wonderful FW community!!
All the details are below and in the Managing Relationships Virtually_Flyer.
When: Thursday 4 June 2020
Time: 2.30 to 3.30 pm
Inclusions: Inspiring speaker and facilitated relationship building with FW community
Registration: Essential via our website – spaces are limited
Cost (excl GST): Members – $9.50 Guests – $30
Shut Up and Write Sessions now online!
We have a WhatsApp group and we make times as they suit us, so if you’re interested in being involved, pop Lizzy Lowe an email with your phone number and she’ll add you to the group.
Venture Café – will be convening their community online, via Zoom, and offering the #ThursdayGathering programming in a Virtual format.
For more information visit: https://venturecafesydney.org/whats-on-this-week
HDR NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment – applications open
The Holsworth Endowment invites applications for post-graduate student research support in ecology, wildlife management and natural history studies. Grants of up to $7,500 will be awarded for the purchase of equipment, supplies, travel to study areas and conferences to assist students going into the field and publishing their results.
HDRs in our Department have been very successful in securing this grant over past years, so it is worth giving it a go! For more information, go to: https://www.ecolsoc.org.au/awards-and-prizes/holsworth-wildlife-research-endowment
Applications close 31 May 2020
CSL Florey Next Generation Award 2020 – Call for Nominations
The Australian Institute of Policy and Science is pleased to announce the 2020 CSL Florey Next Generation Awards.
Detailed information about the awards is available on the AIPS Website – CSL Florey Next Generation Award Page .
The CSL Next Generation Award is awarded every second year to a current Australian PhD candidate who has demonstrated outstanding capability, creativity and potential in the biomedical sciences and human health advancement.
Nominations must be via the Nomination Form which is linked to the AIPS Website – CSL Florey Next Generation Award page.
The 2020 applications are open from Monday 20th April and close at COB (Sydney time) on Friday 5th June 2020.
For more information please contact Steve Burke, General Manager, AIPS on director@aips.net.au
THIS AND THAT
Room to Let
Perfect housing opportunity for students who like a quiet environment. The house is about 15 minutes on bike from the campus, 10 minutes by bus. There are bus stops nearby the house and a late-night bus that can take you back from Townhall. Midway shopping centre is in a 5 mins walking distance. The house and the room are fully furnished. A backyard where you can grow anything you like. You will be sharing the house with maximum 3 people. The rent is around $205/week and includes all expenses, further detail about the price should be discussed with the landlord, who is a very kind lady. Please email Ko-Huan Lee <ko-huan.lee@hdr.mq.edu.au> if you have any questions or are interested.
The funny sides of working from home:
Correct Method for Submitting to Department Matters
Department Matters submissions now have their own email address. Please send all your news items for the newsletter to <fse.bionewsletter@mq.edu.au>
Have You Missed Out on an Issue of Department Matters? Back issues can be found at this newsletter archive link for your reading pleasure.
New Publications
Extending a first-principles primary production model to predict wheat yields
By: Qiao, Shengchao, Han Wang, I. Colin Prentice, and Sandy P. Harrison. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 287 (2020): 107932. | Find with Google Scholar »Dual ecosystem services of syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae): pollinators and biological control agents
By: Dunn, Lucinda, Manuel Lequerica, Chris R. Reid, and Tanya Latty. Pest Management Science (2020). | Find with Google Scholar »Leaf trait variation is similar among genotypes of Eucalyptus camaldulensis from differing climates and arises as plastic response to season rather than water availability
By: Asao, Shinichi, Lucy Hayes, Michael J. Aspinwall, Paul D. Rymer, Chris Blackman, Callum J. Bryant, Darren Cullerne et al. New Phytologist (2020). | Find with Google Scholar »Recent Australian wildfires made worse by logging and associated forest management
By: Lindenmayer, David B., Robert M. Kooyman, Chris Taylor, Michelle Ward, and James EM Watson. Nature Ecology & Evolution (2020): 1-3. | Find with Google Scholar »Is resting metabolic rate related to reproductive output in an orb-web spider, Argiope radon?
By: Ameri, Mohammad, Darrell J. Kemp, Katherine L. Barry, and Marie E. Herberstein. Ecological Entomology. | Find with Google Scholar »Plant biodiversity in the face of global change
By: Le Roux, Johannes J., Michelle R. Leishman, Ariningsun P. Cinantya, Guyo D. Gufu, Heidi Hirsch, Jan-Hendrik Keet, Anthony Manea et al. Current Biology 30, no. 9 (2020): R390-R391. | Find with Google Scholar »Species-level, but not family-level diet breadth predicts geographic distribution of Sydney butterflies
By: Morimoto, Juliano. Insect Conservation and Diversity (2019). | Find with Google Scholar »Simulating the effect of environmental flow duration on seedling emergence from riparian seed banks of the Upper Hunter River, New South Wales
By: Stone, Luke, Kirstie Fryirs, and Michelle Leishman. River Research and Applications (2018). | Find with Google Scholar »Biomimetic Combs as Antiadhesive Tools to Manipulate Nanofibers
By: Joel, Anna-Christin, Marco Meyer, Johannes Heitz, Alexander Heiss, Daesung Park, Hana Adamova, and Werner Baumgartner. ACS Applied Nano Materials 3, no. 4 (2020): 3395-3401. | Find with Google Scholar »In the Media
Professor Culum Brown was interviewed on 3AW Melbourne regarding the intelligence of fish.
Read more »
Dr Rachael Gallagher contributed the article ‘After the bushfires, we helped choose the animals and plants in most need. Here’s how we did it’ to The Conversation.
Read more »
Associate Professor Nathan Hart was mentioned in The Guardian in relation to a grant awarded for his project looking at using pulsed electric fields to deter sharks.
Read more »Dr Jemma Geoghegan from the Department of Biological Sciences was featured in the Sydney Morning Herald regarding research into viruses that have jumped from animals to humans.
Dr Jemma Geoghegan was featured in the Sydney Morning Herald regarding research into viruses that have jumped from animals to humans.
Read more »
Professor Culum Brown was interviewed on ABC Radio Sunday Mornings about how fish sleep.
Read more »
Professor Culum Brown was featured on ABC Conversations regarding his research on fish cognition.
Read more »