An orange orangutan swinging on a branch in thick jungle

University of Queensland research has found despite considerable conservation efforts, the illegal killing of critically endangered orangutans on Borneo may be an ongoing threat to the species.

11 October 2023
Coral skeleton rubble.

Stabilising reef rubble may help corals recover faster after being damaged by the impacts of climate change and natural degradation.

2 December 2021
Overhead image of trees reaching shoreline of sandy beach.

Increasing reforestation efforts in coastal regions could substantially reduce the amount of sediment run-off reaching coral reefs and improve their resilience, a University of Queensland-led study has found.

16 September 2021
A research assistant at the ENGO Corales de Paz (Mariana Gnecco) is cleaning the rope coral nursery with a sophisticated cleaning tool, at San Andres, an island in the Colombian Caribbean. Photo: Corales de Paz.

The most successful and cost-effective ways to restore coral reefs have been identified by an international group of scientists, after analysing restoration projects in Latin America.

12 August 2020
An Australian sea lion raises its head to the sky

Populations of Australia’s threatened mammals have declined by 38 per cent on average in 20 years, yet research shows conservation efforts have led to significant recoveries.

23 April 2020
Sharks swimming together in the ocean with a blue sky above

It’s not too late to rescue global marine life, according to a study outlining the steps needed for marine ecosystems to recover from damage by 2050.

2 April 2020
Moreton Bay near Brisbane ... healthy oceans are critical to all life on Earth

Climate change is not being taken into account in the design and management of marine parks, according to research featuring University of Queensland scientists.

5 December 2019

The combined toxicity of 22 of the most common pesticides found in waterways flowing into the Great Barrier Reef is in many cases not meeting pollution reduction targets.

25 October 2019
Sea-level rise brings higher stormwater levels, compounding the damage. In deprived areas, this may exacerbate poverty. Image: Pixabay

World leaders need to urgently accelerate efforts to prevent “profound, if not catastrophic” climate change in future, a distinguished group of scientists has warned.

20 September 2019
Coral reefs are among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth

Global warming and acidifying oceans are creating an intense competition between coral and algae that both are set to lose.

18 March 2019

New research has revealed that human threats – like hunting and land clearing – are severely limiting the areas in which species can survive.

13 March 2019
Science Minister Leeanne Enoch and Dr Lee Hickey

Grain research technology that will help combat food shortages stemming from climate change and a burgeoning world population have helped a young researcher claim the title of Advance Queensland Young Tall Poppy Scientist of the Year.

14 August 2017
US Secretary of State John Kerry signs the COP21 UN Climate Change agreement.

As the dust settles following Donald Trump’s shock US presidential win, researchers from Queensland, South Africa and the US believe it is not all doom and gloom for the environmental community.

15 December 2016

A study involving University of Queensland researchers has found that, despite economic and population growth, the physical impact of humans on the planet has slowed.

24 August 2016

Researchers have distilled 40 years of coastal marine restoration studies into a set of powerful guidelines for anyone hoping to rejuvenate coastal habitats.

9 June 2016
Sir David Attenborough, as he appears while introducing the interactive website

University of Queensland scientific research on the Great Barrier Reef is in the international spotlight with this week’s launch of an interactive website to complement a BBC television series to be released on 30 December.

23 December 2015
Picture: The Indo-Pacific region holds most of the world’s mangrove forests.

Mangrove forests around the Indo-Pacific region could be submerged by 2070, according to international research published today.

15 October 2015
Dr Paul Dennis travelled to Antarctica for his research. Photo: Paul Dennis.

Climate change will have a major impact on life in Antarctica this century, according to a landmark study published in Nature Climate Change today.

29 September 2015
New combinations of resident and migrant species will present unprecedented challenges for conservation planning.

Warming oceans will cause profound changes in the global distribution of marine species, new research shows.

26 August 2015

Climate geoengineering may be the only way to save coral reefs from destructive mass bleaching, according to new research involving the University of Queensland.

25 May 2015