Ecology and Evolution Series: Environmental diversity

Angus Mitchell

PhD candidate - School of Biological Sciences
Supervisors: Professor Ivan Nagelkerken | Professor David Booth

Growing up by the sea drove Angus' fascination with the ocean. After completing an honours degree on the effects of temperature on tropical and temperate fish, he decided to delve deeper. Angus is now looking at the effects of ocean warming and acidification on tropical fish shifting their home range, and on their new temperate neighbours. Prospective research will develop our understanding of novel species interactions subject to environmental change through physiological, behavioural, and cognitive approach. Angus will present his initial PhD seminar titled, Climate-induced range shifts: tropical vagrant fish and their novel temperate competitors.

Angus' researcher profile

Professor Sean Connell

School of Biological Sciences | Environment Institute

Sean is a highly respected marine biologist who’s intrigued by how our brains respond to the world around us. Along with his students, Sean has boosted evidence-based polices to create cleaner and healthier coasts. They’ve improved the treatment of coastal seas and restored 20 hectares of oyster reefs, with a second one on its way for 2020.

To launch our Spring Series, Sean will explore how diversity provides ecological mechanisms that allow natural systems to withstand shocks and partner with humans for their restoration.

Sean's researcher profile

Vinuri Silva 

PhD candidate - School of Biological Sciences
Supervisor: Professor Bronwyn Gillanders

Plastic is one of the greatest threats our oceans are facing, with fish being predicted to be outweighed by plastic by 2050. Vinuri’s research focuses on the diverse yet unique group of marine microbes colonising marine plastic, also referred to as the 'Plastisphere'. She will present her initial PhD seminar titled, 'The hidden inhabitants of oceanic plastic'. 

Vinuri's researcher profile

Sophie Dolling

PhD candidate -  School of Biological Sciences
Supervisor: Professor Bronwyn Gillanders | Dr Mike Williams

Sophie is a multidisciplinary researcher intrigued by the effects of pollution on marine environments and the industries that rely on them. Sophie’s honours research in marine biology and chemistry identified chemical pollutants in fish species. She continues this important research through her PhD using analytical chemistry to answer ecological questions, like the potential for plastics to be a vector for chemical pollution, and to better understand the impacts of plastic pollution on our marine environments.

Sophie researcher profile

Jennie Weinhammer

PhD candidate -  School of Biological Sciences
Supervisor: Professor Bertram Ostendorf

Can we save the world's 30,000 threatened species? Not without solving conservation's money problem. Jennie will introduce her project to identify increases in conservation funding throughout history, using the United States as a case study. Jennie will be presenting her initial PhD seminar titled, ‘the history of public and private conservation funding in the United States’.

Jennie's researcher profile

Pam Catcheside

Honorary Research Associate - State Herbarium

One of our most esteemed industry partners, Pam Catcheside, will present Fungi – the quiet achievers. How they are changing the world.

As an Honorary Research Associate for the State Herbarium, Pas has been collecting and documenting the larger fungi of South Australia for more than 20 years. Particular interests are the disc fungi (Ascomycetes), fungi that fruit after fire and the fungi of Kangaroo Island.

Pam's presentation