News: Environment Institute
Extinction risk of native bee populations increased by bushfires
![The golden-green carpenter bee (Xylocopa (Lestis) aeratus Female)-Xylocopa, is a species especially vulnerable to fire, with much of its habitat burnt during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires. Image credit James Dorey.](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-10/james-dorey-the-golden-green-carpenter-bee-xylocopa-lestis-aeratus-female-xylocopa-sp.-f-52p-mpe-3x.jpg?h=6eb229a4&itok=mplGVtL1)
The number of threatened Australian native bee species is expected to increase by nearly five-fold after the devastating Black Summer bushfires in 2019-20, according to new research.
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New citizen science project to create a buzz in rural Australian schools
![Butterfly image - Insect Investigators](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-09/butterfly-1-image-erinnfg.jpg?h=8268fcbc&itok=1ejFoI2x)
School students will be able to document their local insect biodiversity and potentially discover new species in their area, as part of a new project led by SA Museum and University of Adelaide scientists.
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Seeking eco-warriors to create award-winning videos
![Young Scientist of the Year St Aloysius students](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-09/YSOY-UoA_0501-web.jpg?h=c4dd2c7b&itok=PYM0FXp2)
High school students have the opportunity to be named the University of Adelaide Young Scientist of the Year and win themselves cash prizes by making a short video about an environmental problem or solution.
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Tall Poppy awards for Uni of Adelaide researchers
![SA Tall Poppy Award winners from the University of Adelaide. L to R Dr Hannah Wardill, Dr Alice Jones, Dr Catia Malvaso and Dr Dominic McAfee. (Absent: Dr Linda Armbrecht)](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-09/tall-poppies-2021-43.jpg?h=08b866d1&itok=KCaQdkTb)
Five University of Adelaide researchers have won 2021 South Australian Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.
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Echidna conservation science initiative a finalist in Eureka Awards
![Echidna CSI alpacas](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-09/echidnacsi-alpaca.jpg?h=6eb229a4&itok=jyJ1UQ6Z)
The University of Adelaide’s Echidna Conservation Science Initiative (EchidnaCSI) is a finalist in the Australian Museum’s 2021 Eureka Prizes.
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Scientists named as environmental influencers
![Professor Bob Hill](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2020-02/bob-hill.jpeg?h=c4dd2c7b&itok=Nz-c468K)
University of Adelaide scientists have been named among South Australia’s most influential people in the environment sector.
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How did sugar-eating birds co-evolve with plants that produce nectar?
![New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) feeding on nectar of Acorn Banksia (Banksia prionotes). Photograph by Todd J. McWhorter.](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-08/honeyeater-nectar-mcwhorter-983b.jpg?h=08b866d1&itok=robZcvT0)
Research led by the University of Adelaide has shown, for the first time, that the digestive systems of nectar-eating birds co-evolved with the nectar-composition in flowers.
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United States influences Australia's illegal pet trade
![illegal wildlife trade high risk species](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-08/illegal-wildlife-trade-high-risk-species.jpg?h=fce6b2b1&itok=WBfBx59x)
When it comes to importing illegal reptiles, Australia’s trade closely follows US trends, according to new University of Adelaide research.
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Snails, slugs and stick insects - investigating the dynamics of Australia’s terrestrial invertebrate trade
![Spiny Leaf Insect by Mario Madrona via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-08/spiny-leaf-insect-Mario-Madrona.jpg?h=2f83cd36&itok=UhXydt8h)
For some people, the idea of having tarantulas and scorpions living in their house is a nightmare; for others, keeping insects is a hobby and a passion, writes Charlotte Lassaline.
How do we detect the impact of rising sea levels?
![Soil sulfur isotopes Emily Leyden](/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2021-07/news-emily-sulfur-soil-9004.jpg?h=c4dd2c7b&itok=B2P49xNg)
Scientists have come up with a simple new test to analyse sulfur isotopes which can be used to help investigate chemical changes in water.
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