This coming Monday (9th May) The Quantitative Applied Spatial Ecology (QASE) group invite you to a seminar by guest speaker Dr. Alan Woodley [EECS] on the topic “Ecology meets Big Data”. Environmental scientists are increasing taking advantage of much larger and more complex datasets, colloquially known as big data, than they ever have…
Invasive bird species spreading avian malaria throughout eastern Australia
The invasive Indian Myna threatens bird life in the South East Queensland region through the carrying and potential spreading of avian malaria throughout its range in eastern Australia, according to Griffith University PhD candidate Nicholas Clark. Clark found that up to 40% of Indian Mynas in the South East Queensland region can carry…
New report shows the danger of inconsistent funding for scientific research
A new report led by the University of Minnesota shows that cut-backs or inconsistencies in funding for research into pests and diseases has the potential to be devastating given the shifting climate and and new spatial ranges of established pests and diseases. More here.
Discovery of new gene may lead to increased spatial range of wheat
Scientists at the University of California, Davis have recently discovered the a fourth gene in wheat responsible for wheat vernalization, the biological process requiring cold temperatures to trigger flower formation. Identification of the newly characterized VRN-D4 gene and its three previously discovered counterpart genes is crucial…
Distribution and dispersal of invasive species redefining biogeography in Anthropocene
In a recent study, data on native and invasive ranges of terrestrial gastropod species was used to analyse dissimilarities in species composition among 56 globally distributed regions. it was found that native ranges confirm the traditional biogeographic realms, reflecting natural dispersal limitations. however the distribution of…