CSIRO

Some of the world's leading ecologists will gather in Hobart today for the Southern Hemisphere's preeminent conference on ecological research - the 2011 Annual Conference of the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA).

The conference brings together the best and brightest ecologists from academic, government and not-for-profit and private sector backgrounds in Australia, New Zealand and internationally.

Its theme, "Ecology in changing landscapes", encompasses all natural systems - terrestrial, freshwater and marine - from the molecular to the macro ecosystem level.

"We aim to encourage greater integration of knowledge across all fields of ecological research, to improve the application of ecological perspectives and knowledge to global concerns, and to rally our community to urgent action in these times of increasingly rapid change," said ESA President, Professor Kris French, from the University of Wollongong.

Keynote presenters include: David Bowman from University of Tasmania on ecology and fire, Steve Nicol from Australian Antarctic Division on Southern Ocean Systems, Nick Mooney from University of Tasmania on impact to wildlife on changes to Tasmania's landscape and people, Kath Dickenson from University of Otago and award recipient for Ecological Excellence, Beth Fulton from the CSIRO on Climate Change and associated evolutionary shifts.

According to the Chair of the Conference Organising Committee, Dr Kerry Bridle from the University of Tasmania, the conference is designed to inspire challenging dialogue across all fields of ecology and to link ecological research with practical conservation biology.

"The program emphasises the challenges facing ecologists at all levels from the local to the international. We hope to stimulate debate and challenge current thinking, particularly around the need to focus more on climate change ecology.

"While many of the problems facing natural systems have not changed, ecologists from a large number of diverse disciplines and institutions are increasingly being required to collaborate on multiple issues.

"So, one key question the conference will focus on is: ‘Are the ecological questions and methods of the past still relevant or will they need to change to address the many questions emerging from our rapidly changing landscapes now and in the future?'" Dr Bridle said.