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

Conservation researchers have debated two different approaches to protecting biodiversity for years, but an international team of scientists has found a combination could achieve the best results.

22 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
Target-based ecological compensation resolves much of this uncertainty by explicitly linking compensatory requirements to biodiversity targets.

A new approach to compensate for the impact of development may be an effective alternative to biodiversity offsetting – and help nations achieve international biodiversity targets.

12 February 2020
A Caribbean reef shark is surrounded by smaller fish. Credit: Global FinPrint project.

‘No-take’ marine reserves - where fishing is banned - can reverse the decline in the world’s coral reef shark populations caused by overfishing, according to an Australian study.

24 January 2020
Fire burns through a stretch of Australian bush.

More than one billion mammals, birds, and reptiles across eastern Australia are estimated to have been affected by the current fire catastrophe.

20 January 2020
UQ researcher Kusinara Wijayabandara seeks community help in tackling the invasive fireweed

Fireweed is one of eastern Australia’s worst invasive species, and scientists are asking landholders for on-the-ground information about where it is growing and how they deal with it.

17 January 2020

The protection of Australia’s threatened species could be improved by a factor of seven, if more efficient ‘umbrella’ species were prioritised for protection, according to University of Queensland research.

7 January 2020

With only about half of Earth’s terrestrial surface remaining as natural vegetation, a University of Queensland-led team has proposed an international goal to halt its continued loss.

17 December 2019
The SVII camera system piloted by Christophe Bailhache in Raja Ampat. © Underwater Earth / XL Catlin Seaview Survey / Aaron Spence

More than one million high-resolution images from 860 of the world’s coral reefs have been made available to scientists by The University of Queensland and ocean conservation non-profit, Underwater Earth.

16 December 2019
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 noise and presence of boats can harm humpback whales’ ability to communicate and socialise, in some cases reducing their communication range by a factor of four.

28 November 2019

As thousands of wildfires and deforestation escalate in the Amazon rainforest, a team of international scientists has called for governments to enact six key goals to protect the vital wilderness.

20 November 2019

Healthy mangroves can help fight the consequences of climate change on coral reef fisheries, according to a University of Queensland-led study.

13 November 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

New research reveals conservation initiatives often spread like disease, a fact which can help scientists and policymakers design programs more likely to be taken up.

14 October 2019

An online mapping and knowledge platform prototype could soon offer free and easily accessible information on the migratory patterns of endangered species in the ocean.

10 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

New research has found that habitat loss is a major concern for hundreds of Australian bird species, and south-eastern Australia has been the worst affected.

3 September 2019

A University of Queensland alumnus will fight for biodiversity protection at this month’s United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York.

3 September 2019