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Listed under:  Science  >  Life  >  Ecosystems  >  Biodiversity
Video

Pedigree Dogs

This 12 minute video segment from Catalyst demonstrates how scientific knowledge can improve the well-being of our domestic pets and change public opinion. This show exemplifies the benefits of the application of our understanding of genetics and evolution.

Video

Sexual selection

This 5 minute video segment from Catalyst describes how Charles Darwin has revolutionised the way we understand modern biology and evolution. A scientist in Queensland put one of his theories under the microscope by testing to see if more brightly coloured male butterflies have greater success in mating. He speculates that ...

Video

Party locusts

This 8 minute video segment from Catalyst is an excellent example of animal behaviour of locusts as a successful adaptation and how understanding the behaviour can potentially help reduce the damage they cause.

Video

Management of the northern savanna

Around the world, tropical savannas are in serious trouble. This clip from 2007 explores the use of Aboriginal technology for sustainable management of the environment in Australia's huge northern tropical savanna. Hear from two environmental scientists why traditional fire-management practices may reduce the incidence ...

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Species on the move

This ABC In Depth feature article presents arguments about moving vulnerable species to cooler climates in advance of climate change is a controversial strategy, and whether it could be the best way of ensuring their survival.

Interactive

Sites2See: Insects and Spiders

This page links to a range of materials from the Australian Museums' Bugwise program, with additional materials and activities, including a resource about invertebrates in freshwater.

Video

Too cold for cane toads

A new study reported in this video segment has looked at how temperatures impact cane toad movement and has aided in the development of a model that indicates that their geographical spread is limited. An excellent example of the use of mathematical modelling in scientific research and how scientists have tried to address ...

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Kooaaa! It's a kookaburra

This ABC In Depth feature article describes how kookaburra chicks fight for survival in the family nest in springtime.

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Ancient Resurrection

This 8 minute video segment from Catalyst highlights what is needed to resurrect ancient species, and raises the question whether we should. It also demonstrates the impacts of technology.

Audio

Malaria: affects animals as well as humans

This program is an excellent example of the latest research into one of the world's most deadly disease. Humans are infected by five out of the two hundred species of malaria parasite. But birds, bats, lizards and antelopes are also hosts for malaria parasites. Each species of malaria has a different life cycle and life ...

Audio

Conserving seeds of agricultural crops

This radio interview discusses how Global Crop Diversity Trust is trying to conserve the biodiversity of the world's agricultural crops. A network of seed banks is being developed, together with a backup in a mountain in Norway. Just 10 or 12 crops dominate human nutrition. And there's turnover in varieties as crops are ...

Interactive

Laptop wrap: Charles Darwin

A webpage with a focus on the work of Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution including its controversy.

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Above the snowline

This ABC In Depth feature article gives a range of examples of adaptations and responses of Australian alpine ecosystems, plants and animals to cold conditions.

Interactive

Laptop wrap: Fossilisation

A webpage with a focus on the process of fossilisation that helps explain why it occurs so rarely.

Interactive

Sites2See: Aim to sustain

A page supporting learning for sustainability, with selected links to interactive resources, including videos, games and activities for K-6 students, teachers and parents. This resource relates to the 'Aim to sustain' resources produced for Stage 3 and 4 students.

Video

Dingo secrets

This 9 minute video segment from Catalyst shows a biologist is finding out about how a family of multi-coloured dingoes is challenging our very idea of these animals. Technology has been invaluable in learning how young dingoes are taught adult behaviour and survival behaviours of the pack.

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Electricity generation from geothermal energy in Australia

This is an online information resource that explains how electricity is generated from geothermal sources in Australia and includes three diagrams supporting and demonstrating the information provided in the text. It contains six sections: Geothermal systems; Potential advantages of geothermal power generation in Australia; ...

Online

Climate education guide, activity 3: trees and carbon

This is a teaching-learning resource containing teaching strategies and a student activity about the role of forests as carbon sinks and the effect of tree size on the capacity to store carbon. The resource has six tabs, five of which are relevant. The first tab provides information about the importance of forests in storing ...

Online

Activity: biodiversity is more than the sum

This is a web resource that provides a teacher guide for student activities about biodiversity. The teacher guide provides lesson plans for the activities involving research, presentation of findings and peer assessment, and includes background information about biodiversity as well as a list of suggested research topics. ...

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Ocean energy

This is a resource about ocean energy that includes sections on Tidal energy, Wave energy, Ocean thermal energy, World ocean energy market, and Australia's ocean energy resources. Links on the right-hand side of the resource provide additional related resources including publications and websites. The resource is part of ...