The discovery of two sharks never seen before in Australian waters is set to re-write scientists’ understanding of the species. Shark biologist Ryan Kempster, of The University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute, said the rare sharks were caught off Rottnest Island two years ago at a depth of 430 metres by local recreational fisherman Steve… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Agricultre & Vet Science
Two new lizards discovered in Townsville area
A James Cook University researcher has helped uncover two new lizard species in the Townsville area. Dr Conrad Hoskin from JCU’s School of Marine and Tropical Biology, and Patrick Couper from the Queensland Museum discovered the two new species: the Elegant Rainbow Skink (Carlia decora), and the Orange-flanked Rainbow Skink (Carlia rubigo). Dr Hoskin said… Continue Reading
Disease ‘threatens’ fastest-growing food production industry
Two leading marine ecologists have warned that, without strategic management, disease has the potential to threaten food security in tropical aquaculture. Aquaculture is currently the fastest-growing food production industry in the world, and is rapidly replacing wild fisheries in supplying the world’s population with fish and shellfish. However, infectious disease continues to pose a major… Continue Reading
Our food security challenge
Swinburne University of Technology researchers are working with the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne to unlock the genetic secrets of the Acacia plant as a way to fight the threat of dryland salinity. The National Land and Water Resources Audit estimates that 5.7 million hectares of Australia are at high risk from dryland salinity, and by… Continue Reading
New garden removes pollution
Lovely space is good for our environment too When it rains, stormwater flows over roads, car parks, sports grounds and other surfaces. This water picks up litter, sediment, fertiliser and other pollutants that can harm wildlife and pollute our waterways. In 2011/12, a ‘rain garden’ was designed to collect and treat stormwater from the University… Continue Reading
Boost for food crisis research
Plant scientists at the Research School of Biology (RSB), part of the ANU College of Medicine, Biology & Environment, have been awarded up to $7 million to add their scientific expertise to a new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant. The five-year project aims to enhance photosynthetic efficiency in crop plants to tackle the looming… Continue Reading
Wildlife attacks uncovered at Fitzroy River
A Murdoch University researcher has uncovered a series of brutal attacks on wildlife living in and around the Fitzroy River, including a number of slaughtered sawfish – a species identified recently as facing extinction. Dr David Morgan from the Freshwater Fish Group saw the aftermath of the attacks on a goanna and sawfish while working… Continue Reading
Novel underwater noise study maps critical wildlife habitats
Researchers from Curtin University’s Centre for Marine Science and Technology (CMST) have completed a study mapping underwater sea noise levels along the coast of British Columbia. The study used modelling tools developed at Curtin and mapped noise from thousands of ships over one year. It aimed to identify noise exposure levels in critical habitat for… Continue Reading
Future grim for ‘biggest, most magnificent trees’
Across the world, big old trees face a dire future globally from agriculture, logging, habitat fragmentation, exotic invaders, and the effects of climate change, warn leading scientists in an article published this week in Science magazine. Professor William Laurance, an ecologist at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia, reveals a dramatic decline among the world’s… Continue Reading
Cane toads can be stopped
It may be possible to stop the spread of can toads into new areas of Australia according to new research published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology. One of the lead authors of the study, James Cook University’s Dr Ben Phillips, said that their work, which involved an international team of scientists, showed that… Continue Reading
Scientists find more use for crops
North Queensland sugarcane and essential oil derivatives could be turned into pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and even luxury perfume, in ground-breaking research by James Cook University researchers. Matthew Bolte, from JCU’s Solarchemicals Research Group in the School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences, is using sunlight to photo-chemically convert biomass derivatives into materials that are both naturally derived… Continue Reading
A heart-stopping sting
James Cook University (JCU) student Stephanie Chaousis has discovered which part of box jellyfish venom will potentially kill humans. Ms Chaousis has found that the jellyfish uses a two-step process. One part of the venom temporarily kills the victim, causing the heart to die but then recover and come back to life. The second part… Continue Reading
