Ecology Matters

“Our plants have been able to cope with some of the world’s poorest soils [and] adapt to some of the strangest pollinators.” In a career spanning fifty years, Emeritus Professor Byron Lamont is recognised as one of Australia’s foremost experts on the unique flora of southwestern Australia. Recently, this included pioneering work that shows the ancestors of one of Australia's most iconic floral species, the banksias, actually migrated here from North Africa. Byron joined us to discuss this work, and his remarkable career. Byron joined Curtin University as Lecturer in Biology in 1974. Before retiring, he was the Personal Chair in plant ecology and Director of Curtin's Centre for Ecosystem Diversity and Dynamics. With over 400 papers and reviews on plant ecology, biogeography, population dynamics and genetics, and ecophysiology, focussing on the unique flora of southwestern Australia, Byron is recognised as the most highly cited researcher at Curtin University. He received a Wright Lifetime Achievement Award from the international Association of Fire Ecology in 2022. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Wikimedia Commons. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“The Northern Territory has one of the highest richness of ants in the world.” Originally from Canada, François completed a Master of Science in Montreal on ant biogeography before spending two years at the University of Hong Kong researching the ant biodiversity of Macau SAR. He then undertook a PhD at Charles Darwin University investigating the effects of fire and rainfall on the ants of Northern Australia. He is also a keen photographer, often taking a camera on field trips to record and showcase the strange and beautiful smaller critters that inhabit our world. More of François’ photography can be found on his website: https://francoisbrassard.smugmug.com The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. François lives and works on Larrakia and Kungarakany land. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - François Brassard. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“There are a lot of important outcomes to this sort of pollination study.” Andrew Bird is undertaking his Masters at La Trobe University, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria, studying the pollination ecology of a threatened spider orchid. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Andrew lives and works on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong/Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Andrew Bird. Season image credit - Russell Charters.

“Tasmanians as a whole are very proud of this species, that it is so unique and the largest freshwater invertebrate in the world.” Fiona Marshall has over 30 years experience in the natural resource management field at both operational and management levels. She has had extensive on-ground experience in soil erosion, river management, and river erosion works, property planning, and community engagement. As part of the Cradle Coast NRM team, she delivered environmental improvement programs for the Giant Freshwater Crayfish in targeted Cradle Coast rivers across northern Tasmania. The Ecological Society of Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Fiona lives and works on the lands of the palawa kani people in Lutruwita/Tasmania. Help the ESA support ecology in Australia by donating (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/donate/donation-form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) or by becoming a member (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ecolsoc.org.au/get-involved/become-a-member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The music in this podcast is 'Glow' by Scott Buckley - www.scottbuckley.com.au. Episode image credit - Fiona Marshall. Season image credit - Russell Charters.