Research Highlights

Media issued by ARC Centre for  Excellence in Coral Reef Studies         
Marine scientists from France, New Caledonia, Fiji and Australia (supported by the ARC Centre for Excellence in Coral Reef Studies) have revealed that climate change will bring both big opportunities and threats to the Pacific region, where more than 25% of GDP (gross domestic product) depends upon fishing. Impacts include  a projected decline in coral reef fish, shellfish and crustacean harvests, along with a shift in tuna feeding and breeding grounds which would result in a  'net gain' in the south and east Pacific region.

Media issued by Nature's Scientific Reports          
Two  researchers at the University of Melbourne, supported by ARC grants, are part of a team which has completed a study of developmental events experienced by  small species of the kangaroo and wallaby family. This included the finding  that the tiny tammar fetus displays preparative climbing movements up to three  days before birth, exhibiting highly coordinated movements which don't occur until much later in eutherian mammals. The study involved collaboration with researchers from Germany.

Media issued by the Australian National University         
An ARC Discovery Projects grant has assisted researchers at the Australian National University in discovering a new species of ancient fish. The researchers have unearthed the largest fossilised lobe-finned fish skull ever found in rocks of Devonian age. The fossils were found during an excavation of 360 million-year-old rock near Eden on the NSW South Coast.

Media by University of Technology Sydney Newsroom           
According to new findings by UTS researchers, supported by ARC Linkage Project funding, medical-grade manuka honey (Medihoney) can improve the effectiveness of antibiotics and prevent the emergence of resistance. This has significant implications for the fight  against drug-resistant bacteria such as the superbug MRSA (golden staph).