HUMAN ECOLOGY FORUM

Friday 11 September, 10.00 – 12.00 noon, Room 101, Forestry Building

Human Ecology Section of the Ecological Society of America

Rob Dyball will report back on Human Ecology at the recent Ecological Society of America Conference in Albuquerque and outline the Section's proposed symposium for ESA Pittsburgh in 2010

Welcoming Dr Janet Gardner

We extend a warm welcome to Janet Gardner who is now part of Fenner as a visiting fellow (Hancock Building). Janet is an ecologist working on the effects of global warming on bird communities, and will be based here for the next year. She’s already brought a lot of media attention to the Fenner School in the last fortnight via her paper on shrinking birds (Gardner, Heinsohn, Joseph 2009. Shrinking latitudinal clines in avian body size correlate with global warming in Australian passerines. Proceedings of the Royal Society (London) B Online 12 August). This was reported by over 200 media outlets around the world – see media release below.

Australian birds are shrinking

Australian birds have dwindled in size over the last 100 or so years and climate change appears to be the underlying cause, according to research by scientists from the ANU and CSIRO published in the Proceedings of Royal Society Journal this week.

‘We used museum specimens to measure changes in the size of eight bird species from south-eastern Australia over the last century, and found that they have become smaller by 2-4%. That doesn’t sound much but it’s a significant change’ said Dr Janet Gardner.
                                                                               
Birds, like other animals, tend to be smaller in warmer climates, because smaller bodies lose heat more quickly than larger bodies. As a result, individuals of the same species tend to be larger near the poles and smaller near the equator.

‘We looked at size patterns across south-eastern Australia and found that these gradients are shifting because birds are getting smaller as temperatures rise. Birds of a size once found in Brisbane now occur in Sydney, 7 degrees further south’ said Gardner.

The research suggests that birds are adapting to global warming by getting smaller, thus minimizing the costs of heat stress. Such significant changes in our wildlife are a warning sign of changes to the fundamental biological processes that support life on Earth. How much and how rapidly a species can change in response to rising temperatures remains to be answered.

MORNING TEA

Diane Jakobasch and Phil Greaves will be hosting this week’s morning tea in the Hancock Building Tea Room

PUBLICATIONS

Hezri, A. A., Dovers, S. 2009. Australia's indicator-based sustainability assessments and public policy, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 68, 303-318.

Li, G. 2009. (Mal)adapting to tropical cyclone risk: the case of 'Tempestuous Tracy', Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 24, 3, 44-51.

Munro, N. T., Fischer, J., Wood, J., Lindenmayer, D.B. 2009. The effect of structural complexity on large mammal occurrence in revegetation,  Ecological Management & Restoration, 10, 150-153.

Munro, N. T., Kovac, K.-J., Niejalke, D., Cunningham, R.B. 2009. The effect of a single burn event on the aquatic invertebrates in artesian springs, Austral Ecology.

Nicky Munro also presented a talk at 2 recent conferences, INTECOL10 in Brisbane, and Society for Ecological Restoration International in Perth.

Santika, T., Hutchinson, M.F. 2009. The effect of species response form on species distribution model prediction and inference, Ecological Modelling, 220, 2365-2379.

FORTHCOMING CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, etc

Jamie Pittock, attending Skukuza workshop on rivers and climate change, Goolwa and River Symposium, Brisbane.

FOR INFORMATION

Youth Decide ‘09

Next week (14-21 Sept) ANU students are holding an event at Union Court that is part of Australia's first national youth vote on Australia's climate future. We want to make sure the voice of Fenner students count.

The United Nations climate change negotiations this December are the world's best chance to reach agreement on a strong global treaty to reduce greenhouse pollution. We have the chance to put pressure on our Government to let them know our generation wants strong action on climate change.

Voting week is 14th - 21st September. During this week, you can vote for what kind of world you want to live in - in person at one of the booths in Union Court (Monday to Friday) from 11am until 2pm, or online at www.youthdecide.com.au.

Youth Decide is being organised by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and World Vision Australia. One vote makes a big difference. After voting week, the results will go directly to the Australian Government, to the United Nations Climate Week in New York, and with a delegation of 20 young people to the Copenhagen climate change negotiations in December of this year.

Youth= 12-29 y.o. If you want to help but are of earlier vintage, you could TELL YOUR KIDS and students; donate some photocopying quota or postering/prop making time this week, or come and give us a grin throughout the week of voting.

Contact: Nicky Moffat on 0424 452 350 or nicky.moffat@anu.edu.au

Vacancy - Environment Officer, ANU

The environmental management program of the Australian National University, ANUgreen, is seeking to fill a 12 month fixed term full time position for an Environment Officer specialising in student outreach and education.  The position will coordinate activities to engage the campus community in sustainability initiatives including a variety of events and work experience programs for students.  Experience with campus sustainability initiatives required.  This position will ideally commence on or before 1 October 2009.  Full details including selection criteria and application instructions can be found at http://jobs.anu.edu.au/

Fenner School & Friends of Grasslands'

Saturday 19th September, 9 am to 4 pm, Yarramundi Reach, Canberra.  Fenner School & Friends of Grasslands' second work party to weed this significant grassland site. Our work on the site earlier in the year has encouraged the National Capital Authority to invest in a management plan and other conservation measures. The site is looking better and the weeds are easier to see, so we hope to eliminate remaining woody weeds, Chilean Needle Grass and St Johns Wort in the best habitat areas. There will be a free BBQ (with halal and vegetarian food). To register contact Jamie Pittock: jamie.pittock@anu.edu.au or x 56142.

Further work parties are planned at Stirling Ridge on 17 October and 5 December, as well as a nature walk on 21 November with local expert, Adam Muyt.