The Conversation

Tasmania wasn't the only part of Australia that burned in January. The remote interior near Alice Springs saw a huge blaze, worsened by invasive buffel grass. Christine Schlesinger, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and Ecology, Charles Darwin University Barry Judd, Professor, Indigenous Social Research, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Fruit ripening is all about plants getting animals to eat the seeds that are inside their fruits. This helps the plants get their seeds to somewhere new where they can grow into a new plant. Paul Holford, Professor of Agricultural Biotechnology, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new petition is urging state and federal governments to rein in Australia's rampant land clearing, which worsens the risk of bushfires and threatens to undo the work of the Emissions Reduction Fund. Martine Maron, ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland Andrea Griffin, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle April Reside, Researcher, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland Bill Laurance, Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

During its first few decades, this tree is the runt of the rainforest. And then it starts its growth spurt, and can go on to live for millennia. Kevin Glencross, Research Fellow, Southern Cross University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

With heatwaves, droughts and fires all on the rise, the federal government is urged to merge its separate strategies on disaster resilience and climate readiness. Robert Glasser, Honorary Associate Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Of all Australia’s wildlife, one stands out as having an identity crisis: the dingo. New research has found the dingo is its own species, distinct from 'wild dogs'. Bradley Smith, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, CQUniversity Australia Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Fellow in Global Ecology, Flinders University Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Justin W. Adams, Senior Lecturer, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University Kylie M Cairns, Adjunct associate lecturer, UNSW Mathew Crowther, Associate professor, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Everything you need to know about pumped hydro. Roger Dargaville, Senior lecturer, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One surprising potential benefit of sea-level rise is it helps coastal wetlands store more carbon. Kerrylee Rogers, Associate Professor, University of Wollongong Jeffrey Kelleway, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University Neil Saintilan, Head, Department of Environmental Science, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Workplaces the world over tune their thermostats to 22C, because this supposedly optimises mental performance. But the factors that underpin a productive office are much more complicated. Fan Zhang, Lecturer in Architectural Science, Griffith University Peter Hancock, Professor of Psychology, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, University of Central Florida Richard de Dear, Director, Indoor Environmental Quality Laboratory, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia is losing mammals faster than any other country, as well as plenty more plants and animals besides. Extinction is theft from future generations – it's time to treat it as such. John Woinarski, Professor (conservation biology), Charles Darwin University Sarah Legge, Professor, Australian National University Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Buildings and human disturbance in Antartica is clustered in an ice-free zone that is essential to most of the continent's biodiversity. Shaun Brooks, PhD Candidate, University of Tasmania Julia Jabour, Leader, Ocean and Antarctic Governance Research Program, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marine heatwaves, like their land counterparts, are growing hotter and longer. Sea species in southeastern Australia, southeast Asia, northwestern Africa, Europe and eastern Canada are most at risk. Dan Smale, Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, Marine Biological Association Thomas Wernberg, Associate professor, University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia's current greenhouse emissions target is not ambitious enough, and we're not on track to hit even this modest goal. But the potential is there to hit zero emissions by mid-century if we try. Anna Skarbek, CEO at ClimateWorks Australia, Monash University Anna Malos, Project Manager, climate and energy policy, ClimateWorks Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Molluscs that have shells - like pipis, clams and oysters - have to build their own shell from scratch. And they keep building it their whole life, using chemicals from the sea and their own bodies. Aurelie Moya, Research Fellow, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Firewood banksia don't just survive in Western Australia's sandy plains, they thrive, showing off with vibrant, pink-red flower spikes. Rachel Standish, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Murdoch University Lauren Svejcar, PhD Candidate, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The hottest Australian summer on record is ending, and it's likely we've got a warm, dry autumn to come. David Jones, Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Lynette Bettio, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Skie Tobin, Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Too much recyclable packaging is still finding its way into landfill - and plastic is the biggest culprit, with two-thirds going unrecovered, according to a new analysis. Ben Madden, Senior Research Consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Nick Florin, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rewilding is gaining popularity around the world, as a means to restore ecosystems to their ancient state. But just like Vegemite, Australian rewilding projects need to have a unique flavour. Oisín Sweeney, Senior Ecologist at the National Parks Association of NSW, Research Fellow, University of Sydney John Turnbull, PhD Candidate, UNSW Menna Elizabeth Jones, Associate professor, University of Tasmania Mike Letnic, Professor, Centre for Ecosystem Science, UNSW Thomas Newsome, Lecturer, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Scott Morrison's pledge to spend billions on a Climate Solutions Fund is a thinly veiled rehash of the widely criticised Emissions Reduction Fund, which had much of its work undone by fine print. Ian A. MacKenzie, Senior Lecturer in Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Reducing emissions doesn't have to conflict with a growing economy, as these 18 developed nations show. Pep Canadell, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Professor, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Research Director, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Jan Ivar Korsbakken, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.