Long-distance sea turtle migration provides unique opportunity to combine and test exciting tracking techniques

  • Posted by Ryan Pearson
  • On July 17, 2020
By Dr Ryan Pearson In February 2016, a female loggerhead sea turtle dubbed ‘Marloo’ had a satellite transmitter attached to her shell on a beach south of Exmouth, Western Australia by the Gnaraloo wilderness foundation. Many months, and more than 4000 km’s, later she was recovered on an island near Darwin. Aub Strydom found a […]
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Automated fish identification and abundance using artificial intelligence

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On June 26, 2020
By Ellen Ditria While running video footage fresh from your underwater camera into a computer that automatically identifies species and determines abundance may seem like wishful thinking for ecologists, successes in recent research shows we’re close to having an accessible tool for researchers. The use of camera technology in aquatic sciences has increase rapidly over […]
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Data Science: The new language of ecologists

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On June 24, 2020
By PhD candidate Sebastian Lopez-Marcano  Read Time: 416 words about 3 minutes. Data creates magic. In ecology, data is necessary to make targeted management decisions. New tools (i.e. deep learning / computer vision) are allowing data to be processed at vast rates which is making data more accessible and useful. However, converting raw data into meaningful insights for ecological research can be challenging.  Data nodes. Photo: Akamai. Through the years, ecologists have become familiar […]
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Computer Vision Resources: Fish Classification Datasets

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On June 17, 2020
by Sebastian Lopez Computer vision is transforming the collection and processing of digital imagery for ecology and conservation. In aquatic environments, computer vision tools for automatic fish identification are heavily sought after, but robust and open-access fish datasets are hard to find. Here, I share some of the most used, open-access and updated fish datasets […]
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Building a sustainable future for seagrass ecosystems

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On June 9, 2020
Seagrass ecosystems are among the most productive on the earth, providing a huge diversity of ecosystem functions and services that directly benefit humans. Despite this, seagrass habitats are usually overshadowed by some of the more charismatic ecosystems such as bright, colourful coral reefs. A report led by UNEP released on World Oceans Day has assembled […]
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Fragmentation threatens mangrove forests but protection can help….in some areas 

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On June 4, 2020
By Dr Mischa Turschwell, Global Wetlands Project    Mangrove forest conservation is increasingly attracting international interest. That’s because mangroves support incredible biodiversity, enhance fisheries, protect vulnerable coastal communities from storms, and reduce climate change by storing carbon.     Unfortunately, mangrove forests remain one of the worlds most threatened ecosystems. Pressures from forest fragmentation, climate change, increasing exploitation by humans, and altered river flows all continue to degrade and impact […]
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Harnessing Big Data to Support Mangrove Conservation and Rehabilitation

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On May 27, 2020
By Dr Michael Sievers and Dr Christina Buelow, Global Wetlands Project   We are entering a remarkable era of both technological advancement and open data access, stimulating global scale analyses on mangrove ecosystems. Mangrove trees and roots provide critical habitat for wildlife and benefits to humans. Photo credit: Tom Rayner   Mangrove forests occur throughout […]
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There are cross-benefits to protecting coastal wetlands in the wake of COVID-19

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On May 22, 2020
Dr Ryan Pearson The effects of COVID-19 on the world has been profound. It’s had us re-evaluating intergovernmental, trade and personal relationships, and forced a rethink of consumer needs. Environmental groups have been encouraging people to eat more fish in response to this pandemic.  Consumer surveys during the pandemic have also highlighted greater apprehension about […]
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Mangroves taking eons to recover from oil spill

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On May 20, 2020
By Professor Rod Connolly On a dark and stormy night in 1992 a major oil slick polluted a pristine mangrove forest. The oil came from a shipping mishap at the hydrocarbon facility at Port Bonython in Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It’s a significant wilderness area, home to flocks of imperious pelicans, endemic seadragons, and the […]
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Mangroves, oasis of the desert

  • Posted by Ellen Ditria
  • On May 19, 2020
By Dr. Fernanda Adame and Dr. Mischa Turschwell If you ever fly over a subtropical coast, where the desert meets the ocean, you will notice a stripe of bright green bordering the edges of meandering creeks. The greenery contrasts with the orange, yellow, and red of the surrounding desert. In this seemingly inhospitable landscape, where […]
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