Life, Earth and Environment

Our Vision: Science for understanding, conservation and restoration of our natural world

The Life, Earth and Environment research theme is a highly active community of academics engaged in discipline-based and interdisciplinary research that spans ecological and built landscapes. Our purpose is to undertake high quality research that improves our understanding of ecosystem, earth sciences and biodiversity, as a means to advance ecosystem resilience, and to inform management practices that contribute to ongoing sustainable landscape use and restoration. Join us to advance your studies in one of our focus research areas.

Research groups

 Aquatic Ecology and Restoration Research Group

Tree overhanging a river's edgeWe focus on integrating rigorous science with management for optimising productivity and biodiversity in aquatic systems. Our current focus is on ecosystem processes and rehabilitation of Australian
floodplain and coastal wetland & riverine systems...

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 Avian Behavioural Ecology Lab

Noisy miner birdResearch conducted in this lab seeks to understand both how and why animals behave the way that they do...

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 Behavioural and Physiological Ecology

Pygmy possumThe major scientific goal of the Behavioural and Physiological Ecology research centre (BPE) is to investigate behavioural and physiological adaptations of native Australian animals living in various habitats...

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 Biodiversity, Landscapes and Ecosystem Stewardship

Close-up image of an insect resting on a flowerResearch conducted by this group develops globally significant understanding and solutions to the extinction crisis and loss of terrestrial ecosystem services from local to planetary scales as a result of unsustainable development...

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 Earth Science Research Group

geological formation Arizona Earth sciences at UNE deal with our planet's geological and prehistoric past and the cataclysmic processes that shaped the earth.

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 Evolutionary Ecology of Parasitism Lab

Microscope image of a parasiteThe research projects we conduct in this lab seek to understand how parasites live and what effects they have on their hosts...

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 Feral Cat Project

The NSW Environmental Trust has awarded the University of New England $14.6 million to tackle the devastating impact feral cats are having on NSW wildlife.

This is the largest single grant ever awarded in NSW towards the control of feral cats and will fund innovative, on-ground research at sites in northern, southern and western NSW.

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Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research (FEAR) Lab

Skull of Tasmanian tigerOur primary interest is to improve our understanding of relationships between shape and function in living and fossil animals. We use computer based 3D modelling (Finite Element Analysis) and geometric morphometrics to predict and analyse mechanical behaviour in skulls and other biological structures...

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 Insect Ecology Lab

AntThe lab's current research focuses on a range of interlinked topics of significance to biological and geographical diversity...

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 Mammal Ecology Group

wallabyThe Mammal Ecology Group (MEG) is made up of staff and students with a passion for mammal research.

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 Palaeoscience Research Centre

Head and shoulders artist's impression of dinosaurTogether, we cover almost every facet of palaeontology and palaeoanthropology: from microfossils to Ice Age megafauna to dinosaurs, and from giant arthropods to sabretooth cats to Neanderthals...

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 Plant Evolution and Pollination Group

pollinator on orchidOur research develops globally significant understanding and solutions to the biodiversity conservation in flora. Our projects range from systematics and pollination processes through to the genomics of adaptation and speciation in plants...

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 Sustainable Engineering Group

reinforced concreteEngineers are at the forefront of the transition to a carbon-constrained world. Sustainable technologies are required to allow the world to adapt whilst ensuring a good quality of life for all its residents...

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