The Conversation

Australian wheat growers need to boost yields to stay competitive in the face of climate change. They could do this by sowing earlier, but need new varieties of wheat to help them do it. James Hunt, Associate Professor, La Trobe University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This native succulent is a tasty bush food. Bronwyn Barkla, Associate Professor of Plant Protein Biochemistry, Southern Cross University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A bee the size of a human thumb was first described in Victorian times, but hadn't been seen since 1981. That is, until four biologists teamed up on a trek to Indonesia's North Molucca islands. Simon KA Robson, Honorary Professor, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The plan to kill 2 million feral cats nationwide by 2020 makes for good headlines. But it's also a simplistic goal that won't necessarily deliver conservation benefits to native species. Tim Doherty, Research Fellow, Deakin University Dale Nimmo, Associate professor/ARC DECRA fellow, Charles Sturt 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 Ricky Spencer, Associate Professor of Ecology, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

China's refusal to take Australia's rubbish has started to bite, and it's clear we're not ready to deal with the consequences. Trevor Thornton, Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As soon as white colonists began farming sheep in Australia, they looked for a way to eradicate dingoes. Justine M. Philip, Doctor of Philosophy, Ecosystem Management, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What do the recent Townsville floods and Tasmanian heatwave have in common? Both were caused by weather systems that stayed put for days or weeks on end. And global warming could worsen that trend. Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It's easy to whip out the fly spray, but our fondness for pesticides can bring knock-on effects such as increased resistance, and harming beneficial insects in and around our homes. Lizzy Lowe, Postdoctoral researcher, Macquarie University Cameron Webb, Clinical Lecturer and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Manu Saunders, Research fellow, University of New England Tanya Latty, Senior Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Wander in the dark forest and you might spot the radioactive glow of the ghost fungus. Alison Pouliot, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For as little as $4 a day Indian workers process dangerous, toxic waste by hand. This unregulated, highly polluting industry is hidden away from police eyes. Miles Park, Senior Lecturer, Industrial Design, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We can't make it rain. But you are already helping if you don't use more water than you need. And you can talk to your parents about the planet getting warmer, because the heat makes drought worse. Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Recognising animals as sentient means welfare laws must consider animals' feelings as well as their physical conditions. Bronwyn Orr, Veterinarian and PhD candidate, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ecosystems can collapse suddenly and totally. Frozen zoos are trying to create archives of genetic material to prevent total extinctions. Nicola Marie Rivers, PhD Candidate, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The natural world depends on insects to function, but they may be the next casualty of climate change. Bill Laurance, Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia's subtropical regions are drying, but if we can slow the global temperature rise then rainfall should increase again. Kale Sniderman, Senior Research Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne Andrew King, ARC DECRA fellow, University of Melbourne Jon Woodhead, Research Scientist Josephine Brown, Senior research scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A NSW court's decision to rule out a coalmine on the basis of climate change could signal a turning of the tide in an arena where environmental litigants have previously struggled to gain traction. Justine Bell-James, Senior lecturer, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report predicts that one-third of the ice in the Himalayas will melt, even if we contain global warming to 1.5C. So what does that mean for the flood-prone valleys below? Anthony Dosseto, Associate Professor, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Walking towards this tree, which grows only on a select few mist-shrouded mountainsides in Queensland, can feel like stepping into a prehistoric dinosaur-filled fantasy. Fanie Venter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Everyone knows the Great Barrier Reef is in peril. But a continent away, Western Australia's Shark Bay is also threatened by marine heatwaves that could alter this World Heritage ecosystem forever. Matthew Fraser, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Western Australia Ana Sequeira, ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Western Australia Brendan Paul Burns, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Diana Walker, Emeritus Professor, University of Western Australia Jon C. Day, PSM, Post-career PhD candidate, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Scott Heron, Senior Lecturer, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Black Saturday fires transformed the way Australia responds to bushfires. Kevin Tolhurst, Senior Lecturer, Fire Ecology and Management, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.