The Conversation

The sugar glider is an icon of the Australian bush. But discovering it's actually three distinct species has big consequences for its conservation. Teigan Cremona, Research Associate, Charles Darwin University Alyson Stobo-Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Charles Darwin University Andrew Baker, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology Steve Cooper, Principal Researcher , South Australian Museum Sue Carthew, Provost and Vice President, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

"Frankly, why should any hospital purchase coal-fired energy when it produces toxic air pollution that harms health?" Anthony Capon, Director, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Arunima Malik, Lecturer in Sustainability, University of Sydney David Pencheon, Honorary Professor, Exeter UK / Adjunct Professor, Monash Sustainable Development Institute / Visiting Professor, Surrey UK Helga Weisz, Professor of Industrial Ecology and Climate Change, Humboldt University of Berlin Manfred Lenzen, Professor of Sustainability Research, School of Physics, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Protecting the continent’s remaining pristine wilderness areas is urgent, but achievable. Rachel Leihy, PhD candidate, Monash University Steven Chown, Professor of Biological Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

They're more used to taking visitors to the reefs, but COVID-19 gave tour operators time to help check the condition of the corals. What they found doesn't bode well. James Paton Gilmour, Research Scientist: Coral Ecology, Australian Institute of Marine Science Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In Australia, methane emissions from fossil fuels are rising due to expansion of the natural gas industry, whereas agriculture emissions are falling. Pep Canadell, Chief research scientist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; and Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Ann Stavert, Project Scientist Ben Poulter, Research scientist, NASA Marielle Saunois, Enseignant-chercheur, Laboratoire des sciences du climat et de l’environnement (LSCE), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) – Université Paris-Saclay Paul Krummel, Research Group Leader, CSIRO Rob Jackson, Chair, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, globalcarbonproject.org, Stanford University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If agricultural land was used to grow crops, it would limit methane emissions from livestock, but not store a substantial amount of carbon. Growing trees is what makes the difference. Sebastian Leuzinger, Professor, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Having a carbon price is linked to lower emissions growth. A larger price cuts emissions by more. Paul Burke, Associate Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University Rohan Best, Lecturer in Economics, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Kangaroo Island dunnart was listed as critically endangered before fires ripped through 95% of its habitat. Those that survived the fires now face the threat of feral cats. Rosemary Hohnen, Adjunct associate, Charles Darwin University Sarah Legge, Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Scientists and bureaucrats moved logistical mountains to rescue the eastern bristlebird from bushfires this year. As climate change worsens, wildlife evacuations will become more common. Rohan Clarke, Director, Monash Drone Discovery Platform, and Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Monash University Katherine Selwood, Threatened Species Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science, Zoos Victoria and Honorary Research Fellow, Biosciences, University of Melbourne Rowan Mott, Biologist, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The story of the Kangaroo Island Micro-trapdoor spider offer insight into the challenges ahead for invertebrates – the tiny engines of Australia's biodiversity – after this year's cataclysmic fires. Jess Marsh, Research fellow at the Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

I've worked in threatened fish conservation and management for more than 35 years, but this species is special to me. Mark Lintermans, Associate professor, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Kaputar rock skink is thought to have have one of the smallest ranges of any reptile in New South Wales – at the summit of a single extinct volcano, Mount Kaputar. Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One vet suggested bushfire smoke had killed the smoky mouse – and asked, in a nod to the species' name, if this was a case of "death by irony". Andrew Peters, Associate Professor of Wildlife Health and Pathology, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When the post-bushfire rains finally arrived, the situation for many fish species went from dangerous to catastrophic. A slurry of ash and mud washed into waterways, sending oxygen levels plummeting. Lee Baumgartner, Professor of Fisheries and River Management, Institute for Land, Water, and Society, Charles Sturt University Katie Doyle, Freshwater Ecologist, Charles Sturt University Luiz G M Silva, Freshwater Fish Scientist, Charles Sturt University Luke Pearce, Fisheries Manager Nathan Ning, Freshwater Ecologist, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The "winners" evolved in the warm, subtropical regions. Those that evolved in cooler temperate ecosystems – the "losers" – risk becoming extinct. Luciano Beheregaray, Professor in Biodiversity Genomics, Flinders University Jonathan Sandoval Castillo, Postdoctoral Fellow Molecular Ecology, Flinders University Katie Gates, PhD candidate, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Scientists and the community are building nests to help save the stunning green carpenter bee from extinction. Katja Hogendoorn, University of Adelaide Remko Leijs, Researcher, Flinders University Richard V Glatz, Associate research scientist, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After the bushfires, we went looking for endangered corroboree frogs. Normally, they respond to our calls. But at some sites, the ponds were silent. Benjamin Scheele, Research Fellow in Ecology, Australian National University David Newell, Senior Lecturer, School of Environment, Science & Engineering, Southern Cross University Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum Michael McFadden, PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In April, BirdLife Australia survey numbers jumped to 2,242. That's a tenfold increase from 241 in April last year. Ayesha Tulloch, DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney April Reside, Researcher, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland Georgia Garrard, Senior Research Fellow, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group, RMIT University Michelle Ward, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Monica Awasthy, Visiting Research Scientist, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Electric vehicles are still relatively expensive but a trial to help them power the national grid in times of need could see owners being paid. That could make them a lot more attractive. Bjorn Sturmberg, Research Leader, Battery Storage & Grid Integration Program, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Three quarters of WA's Stirling Ranges national park now experience fire cycles twice as frequent as species recovery rates. Kingsley Dixon, John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.