Environmental Science

What Tasmania’s Pencil Pine teaches us about bushfire management.

2025 Research Spotlight, Archaeology and Geoscience, Archaeology and Geosciences, Environmental Science, PGRA /

By Georgia Barrington-Smith Anthropomorphic climate change is weakening the resilience of globally significant forests by altering their temperature and aridity. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is particularly at risk, with longer, more intense bushfire seasons threatening this sensitive ecosystem. Amid ongoing climatic stress and ecological decline, important questions are emerging around the ability of […]

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Will the rivers run dry?

2025 Research Spotlight, Archaeology and Geoscience, Environmental Science, PGRA, Uncategorized /

Understanding how decreasing rainfall is impacting river regions in South-Western Australia. By Georgia Barrington-Smith & Dr Rebecca Duncan Global rainfall patterns are changing, leading to dryer conditions in numerous biodiversity hotspots. Rivers in the Southern Hemisphere are particularly sensitive to these climate-induced changes. To mitigate biodiversity loss and manage our precious water resources, we need

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Beneath the Ice: Climate change is impacting the building blocks of polar marine food webs

2024, 2024 Research Spotlight, Environmental Science /

By Rebecca Duncan & Georgia Barrington-Smith The polar food web at risk from shrinking sea ice Standing on the frozen ocean, it’s hard to imagine life thriving in such a harsh environment. Yet, on the underside of the ice lies a bustling world: a community of sea ice algae and tiny animals called zooplankton. These

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Research spotlight: Bohao Dong (The University of Melbourne)

2024 Research Spotlight, Archaeology and Geosciences, Environmental Science, PGRA, Research, Research Spotlight /

by Georgia Barrington-Smith, 31st October 2024 The Environmental History of the Great Barrier Reef, as told by a Giant Clam Shell Although archaeology has made waves on land, we know comparatively little about the history beneath our shores. A few centuries ago, the Earth experienced a Little Ice Age (LIA) with harsh winters and cool

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Research spotlight: Alexandra Bastick (Charles Sturt University)

2024 Research Spotlight, Environmental Science, Honours, Research, Research Spotlight /

by Georgia Barrington-Smith, 11th October 2024 How Pipelines Impact the Marine Food Web AINSE’s focus for October is Oceans Month, which we are kicking off by spotlighting Alexandra (Alex) Bastick: an Honours student from Charles Sturt University, AINSE Pathway Scholar, and emerging young voice in environmental research! With our oceans facing increasing threats from pollution

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Student Research Spotlight: Leonie Peti

Archaeology and Geosciences, Environmental Science, PGRA, Research /

What sediments can tell us about climate change In order to understand recent and future climate change, we need to be able to understand the climate of the past. The continuous cycle of sedimentation in volcanic maar lakes can provide the perfect record of climate history – provided you know where to look! Auckland City,

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Student Research Spotlight: James Hooper

Archaeology and Geosciences, Environmental Science, PGRA, Research /

Going back in time to understand the South American climate The Andean Puna-Altiplano plateau is the nexus between two extreme regions. On one side resides the arid Atacama Desert, and on the other sits the humid Amazon Basin. The plateau acts as a climatic barrier, where cool mid-latitude winds from the Pacific Ocean meet warm, moist

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Student Research Spotlight: Sarah McDonald

Environmental Science, PGRA, Research /

How does storm-water runoff affect aquatic organisms? Storms can be problematic for organisms living in urban aquatic environments, as the stormwater sweeps large quantities of metal contaminants from our cities and roads into stormwater drains, and out into the ecosystems of local wildlife. The effect is a short, but intense, exposure to these toxins. Our

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