Here’s why more Australian scientists should team up with authors on books about animals

by bpckle | Aug 23, 2024 | Media

Few things are more wonderful than well-written and produced children’s books. They captivate kids, families and classrooms, leaving lifelong impressions. They shape our world. But for the most part, engaging and scientifically accurate children’s books on Australian animals – particularly the lesser-known species – are sorely lacking.

In contrast, books about animals from the northern hemisphere abound. They dominate the shelves in our libraries and bookstores.

Failing to appreciate and celebrate Australian natural history has serious consequences. In the midst of Australia’s biodiversity crisis, it is crucial Australians learn about the remarkable species that call this large and diverse continent home.

Connecting with nature during childhood instils the importance of caring for wildlife and their homes. Once established, this responsibility can carry into adulthood. By helping us fall in love with Australia’s amazing wildlife and ecosystems, children’s books can help transform Australia and its dire conservation record.

National Science Week and Children’s Book Week ran back-to-back this year. What better time to encourage more collaboration between authors and scientists?

A short reading list

Fiction featuring Australian animals, such as Possum Magic, The Magic Pudding and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, were personal favourites. The children in our lives adore Diary of a Wombat.

But picture books depicting Aussie wildlife are rarer than they should be. So many truly amazing and unique creatures are just waiting to be brought into our homes.

It’s even harder to find accurate books in which the biology and ecology of species is correct. We have sought them out for our kids. Happily, some shining examples include:

• Ingenious Insects, Jumping Joeys and Busy Beaks (Sarah Allen)
• Bouncing Back and Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Rohan Cleave and Coral Tulloch)
• Where are all the Christmas beetles? and Wonderful Wasps (Suzanne Houghton)
• Eyes on Flies (Bryan Lessard)
• Bijil Ba Wudhi Deberra – Bijil and Moths (Aunty Loraine Padgham, Taungurung)
• My Little World (Julia Cooke and Marjorie Crosby-Fairall)
• Searching for Cicadas (Lesley Gibbes and Judy Watson)
• Slim and Flash the Garden Lizards and others by Katherine Morris.

The problem

People’s biases created through literature can persist into adult life. Many Australians know and care more about honeybees, bullfrogs, squirrels, elephants, bears and robins than native wildlife such as dinosaur ants, blue banded bees, bogong moths, giant cuttlefish, corroboree frogs, pygmy possums, tree kangaroos, thorny devils and palm cockatoos.

The Australian national anthem states:

Our land abounds in nature’s gifts,
of beauty rich and rare

And yet mainstream Australia doesn’t celebrate, emphasise, or connect with nature nearly enough. The consequences of that disconnect can be seen across Country.

Inaccuracies in children’s literature across the world

When wildlife does make an appearance in children’s literature, we often find inaccuracies. For example, bats are not blind. Whales don’t blow fountains of water out of their blowholes – this would be very bad news for a whale!

Poisonous animals are toxic when eaten, while venomous ones inject poison when they bite, sting or spear others. Spiders are not insects but arachnids. Ants and termites are wildly different creatures. Whales are not fish, they are mammals. And, speaking of mammals, echidnas and the platypus are not marsupials, they are monotremes – they lay eggs!

These errors matter because basic scientific literacy shapes our understanding of the world. They may be partly due to unnecessary oversimplification that underestimates children’s capacities to learn complex concepts and language. But that’s not the full story.

Scientific accuracy can be difficult to achieve. Authors are often constrained by money and time. And scientific literature is dense and, regrettably, often inaccessible behind paywalls.

Unfortunately, information on readily accessible websites is often inaccurate – but detecting errors can be very difficult for non-experts. What can authors reasonably do? Our suggestion is to reach out to scientists.

The solution

Joining forces can create literature filled with accurate yet accessible and engaging information spanning the complexity and nuances of Australian ecology. Many scientists want to work with authors to help tell stories about the plants, animals, fungi, slime moulds, microbes, other lifeforms, and ecosystems they know and love.

There are many ways to facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between scientists and authors. These could include inviting each other to conferences and writers’ festivals, establishing scientist- or author-in-residence programs, or establishing online communities where people can find each other.

We argue science communication has a key role to play too. This is how we formed collaborations with Australian author and illustrator Sarah Allen. Reflecting on her journey, Allen has said:

I’ve had an interest in environmental education for a long while and I love non-fiction picture books. One night, I was up late illustrating a unicorn book, and heard ecologist Professor Euan Ritchie talking on Radio National about Australia’s extinction crisis. The interview literally stopped me in my tracks. I put my pen down from the unicorns and thought… I have to do something about this. I set about researching and writing a book about marsupials.

Working together is a win-win

The arts and sciences are inherently creative pursuits — both create and convey information — so it’s a natural pairing. Artists are master communicators and scientists often want to maximise the impact of the knowledge they’ve created, to reach people and audiences they may not be equipped to. Collaborations here are a win-win.

Australian author, comedian and musician Tim Minchin, put it best when he said the separation between the arts and sciences is a “recent, stupid and damaging idea”. But we can fix this. Working together will benefit our children, wildlife, environment and society.

Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor within the Biodiversity Council, a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Mammal Society, and President of the Australian Mammal Society.

Kate Umbers receives funding from Australian Research Council, the Hermon Slade Foundation, the Centre for Biodiversity Analysis, and Western Sydney University. Kate is a Councillor on the Biodiversity Council, Managing Director of Invertebrates Australia, The Department of Climate Change Energy, Environment, and Water, the Holsworth Society,

Investigation reveals global fisheries are in far worse shape than we thought – and many have already collapsed

by bpckle | Aug 23, 2024 | Media

When fish are taken from our oceans faster than they can reproduce, their population numbers decline. This over-fishing upsets marine ecosystems. It’s also bad for human populations that rely on fish for protein in their diets.

To manage fishing areas sustainably, we need accurate data on how many fish exist and how abundant they will be in future. Fisheries scientists use complex mathematical models to determine this.

But an investigation by my colleagues and I, published today in the journal Science, casts serious doubt on the accuracy of these models.

We studied 230 fisheries around the world. We found populations of many overfished species are in far worse condition than has been reported, and the sustainability of fisheries was overstated. Urgent action is needed to ensure our oceans are not fished below their capacity to recover.

Alarming findings

A sustainable fishing operation would ensure the numbers of fish caught does not outstrip the capacity of a fish population to reproduce. In cases where an area has been overfished, stocks should be given time to rebuild.

To determine appropriate catch rates, computer models are used to assess fish stocks. The models are fed data such as fish biology, catch history, and rates of fish breeding, growth and death.

Our investigation tested how accurate estimates of fish stocks actually are. It involved examining data from 230 of the world’s largest fisheries, spanning 128 fish species. They include fishing areas off Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina and South Africa.

We focused on the depletion in the “biomass”, or total weight, of fish stocks. When fish catch falls to below 10% of its biomass when fishing began, the fish stock is widely said to have collapsed.

For each fish stock, we took data that provided the best estimate of stock depletion at a given year in the past. The data was produced by scientists and reported to fisheries managers and databases.

We compared this historical data to updated modelling produced years later. The updated data was the most recent assessment of that fish stock, but was also “backdated” to the same year as the historical data. The more recent estimates should be more accurate because they are based on data collected over a longer period, and after improvements in the modelling process.

So what did we find? The earlier stock assessments were often too optimistic about the number of fish in the ocean.

For sustainably fished stocks, the earlier estimates were generally accurate. But for stocks that were overfished, most earlier data turned out to be substantially overestimated. In many cases, fish stocks were regarded at the time to be recovering when they were in fact declining.

Among over-fished stocks, we estimated the number of collapsed stocks was likely 85% larger than currently recognised.

How has this discrepancy come about? The models used to make stock assessments are complex and involve many inputs. This can lead to uncertain or inaccurate results – a problem that accumulates each time a value is entered into the model.

As I outline below, the consequences can be devastating.

The case of the jackass morwong

The jackass morwong (also known as deep sea perch) is found off southern Australia and New Zealand. In 2009, models estimated the total stock size for south-eastern Australia at 4,680 tonnes – 22% of the 21,200 tonnes that existed when fishing began. This estimate informed decisions by fisheries managers about how many fish could sustainably be caught in future years.

But modelling in 2014 indicated stock size in 2009 was more likely to have been 3,330 tonnes, and the initial stock size was probably about 28,800 tonnes. That means in 2009, stocks were likely to have depleted to 12% of original levels, not 22%.

The inaccurate estimates mean the “total allowable fish catch” set by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority for jackass morwong is likely to have been unsustainable. Fishing continued with little constraint and the morwong population continued to decline for a decade.

By 2022, however, the declining fish numbers were clear. That year, the authority announced five ocean areas would close to trawl fishers, in a bid to protect the jackass morwong and other fish species. The federal government also allocated about A$24 million to buy back fishing vessel permits.

This probably could have been avoided if accurate stock models had been applied and the full extent of depletion recognised a decade earlier.

Fundamental change is needed

Our research shows the global problem of overfishing is far worse than currently recognised. So what should be done?

Clearly, scientists should try to improve the accuracy of models used to assess fish stocks.

And management of fisheries should be far more cautious, to protect fish stocks around the world. This is vital for sustainable fisheries, healthy oceans, and our own food security.

Graham Edgar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Sydney’s shiny new Metro service is great – now can we fix the city’s busted bus stops?

by bpckle | Aug 23, 2024 | Media

Multi-billion-dollar transport projects create headlines, and politicians love to bask in the glow of a successfully completed project such as Sydney’s new Metro. This service will change many people’s lives for the better.

In stark contrast with the shiny new Metro stations, the bus network is suffering from under-investment. Our survey of thousands of suburban bus stops, conducted with advocacy group Sweltering Cities, found many lack shelter, seating, signage and even stable surfaces.

Fixing Sydney’s busted bus stops might not grab headlines, but it will greatly improve access to our public transport network. It will also provide comfort and dignity for the many people who rely on buses. Sydneysiders make more than 600,000 bus trips every weekday.

Extreme heat and rain are becoming more frequent with climate change. This makes the task of providing bus riders with adequate shelter even more urgent.

The weakest link in the network

Transport network planners often think about bus stops as points along a route rather than places – they appear merely as dots on a network map.

But, for passengers, bus stops are public places in their neighbourhood. If they lack basic amenity such as shade, seating, signage and smooth surfaces, they become the “weakest link in the journey chain”, either discouraging or preventing people from using bus services. Transport researchers are increasingly recognising the importance of bus stop infrastructure for making buses accessible – especially for riders who have mobility or health issues.

In cities such as Atlanta and New York in the United States, organised groups of bus riders are agitating for improvements. They not only want to improve access, but also to combat the indignity of waiting for buses in places that offer them no care or protection.

Sydney’s busted bus stops

Buses are a vital element of metropolitan Sydney’s public transport. Some 37% of public transport trips in New South Wales are by bus.

But Sydney’s network of more than 20,000 bus stops leaves a lot to be desired. Their sorry state has led to a community campaign for improvements.

As part of Sweltering Cities’ “Busted Bus Stops” campaign, community members and University of Sydney urban geography students conducted a “bus stop census”. We documented the amenities at more than 2,500 bus stops in Sydney. Using a combination of Google Street View and in-person field visits, we mapped the stops with shelters or shade structures, seats and signage.

We focused our attention especially on the hottest suburbs in the west. It can be over 9°C hotter here than in the city’s east. Extremely hot days are also more frequent.

Exposure to extreme heat can have a range of harmful health effects. Some groups like children and older people are especially vulnerable.

What did the survey find?

Analysing this data, the Busted Bus Stops report revealed glaring problems and inequalities. For instance:

• more than 60% of 105 bus stops mapped in the new growth area around Schofields in the north-west had no shelter, shade or seating

• almost 70% of 596 bus stops mapped in and around Penrith, where temperatures have reached over 50°C in summer, had no shelter, shade or seating

• in comparison, in the inner-west suburbs of Strathfield, Ashfield and Summer Hill, over 65% of 101 bus stops mapped had seating and shade or shelter.

Not surprisingly, passengers raised bus stop amenity as a key issue during consultations for the NSW government’s 2023 Bus Industry Taskforce report. Many Sydneysiders will be familiar with the experiences passengers shared – such as seeking shelter from the sun or rain by moving away from an unsheltered bus stop, only to then have the bus you are waiting for cruise right past.

Upgrades aren’t glamorous but make a huge difference

Reflecting the neglect of bus stops, Transport for NSW does not take responsibility for providing bus stop shelters, seating or surface works. Indeed, when we started our research, we asked Transport for NSW if they could share data about bus stop shelters and were told they didn’t collect it.

Responsibility for bus stop amenity falls mostly on cash-strapped local councils. This leads to unequal provision across the city.

Local councils in wealthy areas have more resources to provide bus shelters. They are also in a better position to strike deals with outdoor advertising companies to provide street furniture like bus stops.

Lower-income and hotter areas where good shelters are most needed are left behind. This is the case in Western Sydney’s 2770 postcode suburbs of Willmot, Lethbridge Park, Bidwill and Tregear. Residents there are calling for improvements to bus amenities and services.

These problems can be fixed. The City of Los Angeles recently started a major upgrade project to install 3,000 shelters and 450 shade structures at bus stops across the city over the next ten years. Priority locations are being identified through analysis of ridership data, along with equity and heat indexes. The goal is for 75% of all passengers to board buses from locations with a shelter.

It’s time for the NSW government to follow LA’s lead and launch a city-wide program of upgrades for Sydney’s neglected bus stops.

Investing in bus stops might be less glamorous than new mega-projects. But it’s a lot cheaper.

And, just like the new Metro, it would make a huge difference to the everyday lives of millions of Sydneysiders – especially the young, the old and others who are most vulnerable to heat and depend on buses because they don’t drive.

No funding is reported for this research. Kurt Iveson has received funding in the past from the Australian Research Council, the City of Sydney, and the Henry Halloran Trust. He is actively involved in the Sydney Alliance – a coalition of unions, faith organisations and community organisations working for a fairer and more sustainable Sydney.