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The Biology Society of South Australia (BSSA) podcast brings you conversations on biology and biodiversity conservation in South Australia and beyond. Each episode features a guest researcher, delving into their area of interest with our host, Kiri Marker. Produced by Colette Blyth, Elisabetta Canteri, Tyler Dornan, Tori Love and Adam Toomes; introduction music by Darcy Whittaker; logistical support from the Biology Society of South Australia Special thanks to previous host & producers: Brad ...
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Ep. 22 - Snake sex: Groundbreaking research from Megan Folwell
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Join us as we sit down with Megan Folwell, a Ph.D. student from the University of Adelaide, whose groundbreaking research made headlines in 2022. Megan, along with her supervisors, made waves with their unprecedented discovery: snakes have clitorises. In this episode, we embark on a journey with Megan as she unveils the intricacies of snake clitori…
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Ep. 21 - Tara McKenzie and Adelaide’s Brushtail Possums
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Are possum parties disrupting your slumber? We sit down with Tara McKenzie, a PhD student from the University of Adelaide, and delve into the nocturnal antics of urban brushtail possums. In this enlightening podcast, Tara unpacks her research on these adaptable creatures and their secret urban lives. Despite their common presence, she exposes the c…
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Ep. 20 - Matt Coulter & the Corpse Flower: Giants of Botanical Conservation
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What's big, emits the stench of decaying flesh, and draws crowds of thousands? It's none other than the Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as the corpse flower! In this episode, our guest Matt Coulter, the horticultural curator for the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, enlightens us about this botanical rockstar and much more. Embark on a dam…
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Ep. 19 - Urban Agriculture: Communities & Climate with Hannah Thwaites
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Veggie gardening is a hobby growing in popularity, with more and more South Aussies learning to grow their own food. But have you ever thought of growing your own food as more than a pastime, and actually an important branch of agriculture? Some hardcore green thumbs rely on their garden as their main source of food, while others simply grow the oc…
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Ep. 18 - Arid Recovery: An interview with Katherine Tuft
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The arid zone covers 70% of the Australian landmass. So, how can we restore and protect our country’s largest landscape? Arid Recovery is a wildlife reserve dedicated to conservation research in South Australia’s arid interior. Dr Katherine Tuft is the CEO and manager, undertaking conservation research to find practical on ground solutions to resto…
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How can we strengthen the bond between people, our landscape and cultural ways of learning? The BSSA podcast is excited to present In The Spotlight, featuring voices of conservation within South Australia that you may not have heard of. Our first guest is Mark Koolmatrie, a Ramindjeri man of the Ngarrindjeri Nation, Chairperson of the State Aborigi…
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BSSA Q&A Special: Perspectives for Young Conservationists
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In lieu of our annual BBQ and presentation, we have taken to our podcast to bring you this special Q&A panel. This recording brings together professionals from the industry to communicate some insights and grounding knowledge to the budding career conservationist or environmental scientist. Is it important to study the right taxon, or just get some…
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Bonus Episode: An Audio Guided Tour of the South Port Dunes
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In this special episode of the BSSA Podcast host Bradley Bianco takes listeners on a short audio guided tour of the South Port Noarlunga Dunes system. The tour starts at the northern trailhead of a track that winds its way through these rare relics of sand hills that would have once spanned the Adelaide Coast.On the tour we have a look at many of t…
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Ep. 17 - Engaging the Community in Conservation: A conversation with Liz Milner
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In today's episode host Bradley Bianco sits down with President of the Friends of Black Hill and Morialata Conservation Parks group, Liz Milner. Liz shares her story of how she became involved in the prominent Adelaide-based Friends Group and some of the amazing work that the Group has done to restore habitat for many species of Threatened fauna. L…
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Ep. 16 - The Illegal Wildlife Trade: Part II
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What makes a species invasive? Turns out there's a lot of human behaviour at play between taking a species from the wild, and it becoming invasive in Australia. The story includes a complex pet trade, which is an ermergent global issue for wildlife. PhD Candidate Adam Toomes joins us to discuss the dynamics of alien vertebrate species establishing …
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Ep. 15 - Coffee, Conservation, and Marketing
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It takes a lot to make a conservation happen. People and communities, and behaviour shifts are all essential ingredients, as well as as science and biology. PhD candidate Matt Bowie joins us to talk about social marketing, behavior, and economics in conservation projects, and how they come together for his study topic, coffee sustainability.Hosted …
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Ep. 14 - A Conversation with Tristan O'brien
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Episode fourteen welcomes Tristan O'brien, an ecologist and environmentalist passionate about fostering a connection to nature. We have a chat with Tristan about relating to the land and nature around us, individually and as a society. Tristan draws on his experience running conservation awareness campaigns, and educating others about tuning into n…
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Ep. 13 - The Nature Conservation Society of South Australia
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The Nature Conservation Society of South Austrlalia (NCSSA) is one of the core environmental organisations in the state, having helped to establish iconic parks like Deep Creek, and pushing for the original establishment of a department for the environment. We welcomed Michael and Julia from the society to talk about what they are up to now, and th…
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Ep. 12 - Flinders Chase - To Be, or Not To Be, an Undeveloped Wilderness
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Knowing about biology is one thing - but what about the interactions our society has with biological systems? The proposal for developments in the Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island has become a pivotal conservation issue. Volunteers for the park have put down their tools to lead a counter campaign. We had Bev Maxwell and Colin Wilson …
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Parasitic plants are a component of most ecosystems, and in our native environments they may play a key role. Episode eleven of the BSSA Podcast welcomes PhD candidate Bernardo J. O'Connor in a conversation about the native parasitic vine Cassytha pubescens, and it's potential as a bio-control of invasive plants.Hosted by Bradley Bianco and featuri…
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Ep. 10 - Ancient DNA and the Australian Megafauna
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Dr Kieren Mitchell joins us for a conversation delving deepinto ancient DNA, from it's technical challenges to how it's helping us understand Australia's extinct megafauna. Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Dr Kieren Mitchell. Follow Kieren's research through the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA: @ACAD_Adelaide on Twitter, and @ACAD.Adelaide …
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Ep. 9 - The Microbiome: The Little Things That Count
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Episode nine of the BSSA Podcast explores the microbiome, a wonderful world of microbes that has been there all along, but hasn't always been explored. Dr Raphael Eisenhofer from the University of Adelaide joins us to discuss the significance of microbiomes, both for ourselves, other organisms. Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Dr Raphael Eise…
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Ep. 8 - Citizen Science and Enigmatic Echidnas
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Citizen science, genes, and the surprisingly un-quantified lives of our much-loved echidnas. In episode eight of the BSSA podcast we are joined by Tahlia Perry, a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide and one of the main drivers behind the Echidna Conservation Science Initiative (Echidna CSI).Hosted by Bradley Bianco and featuring Tahlia Perr…
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Ep. 7 - Carnivorous Plants: A tale of the Albany Pitcher Plant
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Cephalotus, the Albany Pitcher Plant, is a spectacularly unique carnivorous plant living in the swamps of South-West Western Australia. Cephalotus expert Nick Kalfas joins us in a conversation about carnivorous plants, plant-animal interactions, and the spectacular endemism seen in this species and in the flora Australia.Hosted by Bradley Bianco an…
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Only some wasps sting! The wasps are a super-diverse branch of the Hymenoptera (ants, wasps, and bees), containing a huge diversity of parasitoid life-histories. This episode welcomes Ben Parslow, a PhD candidate at Flinders University and the South Australian Museum studying parasitoid wasps. Ben talks to us about describing the diversity of paras…
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Beyond re-introuductions and beyond revegetation: rewilding involves bringing a complex suite of natural interactions back to the land. Ecologist Grace Hodder joins us to talk about Rewilding the Yorke Peninsula, a pioneering rewilding project for Australia. We discuss how restoring balance of an ecosystem can help endangered species and ecological…
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Ep. 4 - Palaeobotany, Palaeoclimates & the Evolution of the Myrtaceae
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The Myrtaceae is an iconic Australiasian family with a deep history. This episode welcomes Dr Myall Tarran, a researcher of the Paleobotany of the Myrtaceae family. He joins us to discuss gleaning knowledge from ancient fossils, the history of Australia's quintessential plant family, and how past climates can teach us about the present. Hosted by B…
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Episode three of the BSSA Podcast welcomes Dr Chris Shepherd, a conversation researcher focusing on the illegal wildlife trade. Dr Shepherd joins us to talk about the illegal wildlife trade, the challenges it poses, the conventions in place to stop it.Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Dr Chris Shepherd. Dr Shepherd is the founder executive dir…
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Episode two of the BSSA Podcast is about our iconic eucalypts, and the story of their flowering patterns. Hayley Merigot joins us on the podcast to discuss her research into Eucalypt flowering times and the marvelously complex pollination web. Hosted by Bradley Bianco and featuring Hayely Merigot. Follow Hayley's work:@hmerigot on Instagram,@Hayley…
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The very first episode of the BSSA Podcast welcomes James Trezise, in a conversation about a surprisingly essential phenomenon: fire in wetlands. James is an expert on one of the most important ecological processes in South Australia, and also the president of the Biology Society of South Australia for 2019.Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Ja…
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