Biodiversity
Australia's unique biodiversity, home to ~700,000 native species, is constantly changing. Our research on evolutionary and ecological processes lays the foundation for achieving $137 billion for biodiversity outcomes by 2050.
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About
Biodiversity encompasses the immense variety of lifeforms on Earth. Australia is a megadiverse continent with unique biodiversity including its most iconic animals and plants. Our continent and the surrounding oceans are home to ~700,000 native species, most of these are found nowhere else in the world. Yet, biodiversity is not static - it is constantly changing due to extinction, speciation, adaption, and migration of species into new areas. The patterns of biodiversity we observe today, and work to protect, reflect evolutionary processes and past environmental change. Research at RSB is at the forefront of studying these evolutionary and ecological processes to better predict where species will persist or move to as the climate changes. These predictions will allow us to better protect Australia’s biodiversity. RSB researchers contribute to the vision to unlock $137 billion in financial flows to advance Australian biodiversity outcomes by 20501
1A nature-positive Australia. PWC 2022
Research Impact Cases
Leveraging insights from Australian Birds for benefits to society and the environment
RSB researchers are leveraging the biodiversity of Australian birds to explore fundamental and applied questions about animal cognition, sociality, and ecology. In one example the ‘clever cockie’ project is investigating cockatoos' ability to innovate and spread knowledge in urban environments. Another focus is on how birds move across landscapes and their role in ecosystem health. Birds play a vital role in maintaining the health and resilience of agricultural and natural ecosystems, serving as both potential pests and pollinators. Our researchers are combining cost-effective and cutting-edge technologies to establish a new standard for wildlife monitoring in Australia. Our approaches encompass automated tracking via the Internet of Things, citizen science, controlled captive studies, and large-scale wild experiments. We are also developing tools that integrate biodiversity monitoring with ‘smart agriculture’ systems, benefiting both primary production and conservation objectives.
Learn more about the Clever Cockies Project
Protecting Australia’s Unique Biodiversity -the Centre for Biodiversity Analysis
The ANU hosted Centre for Biodiversity Analysis (CBA) is a collaborative initiative of the ANU, CSIRO and University of Canberra. The CBA was established to exploit new and emerging technologies that facilitate the discovery, understanding and conservation of Australia’s unique biodiversity in the face of accelerating environmental change. Integrating diverse expertise in systematics, population genetics, phylogenetics, and advanced genomics with resources of the National Research Collections Australia (CSIRO). The CBA connects researchers across institutions, regional and commonwealth stakeholders in biodiversity management.