Living Data
Evolving conversations 
University of Technology, Sydney Main Entrance Foyer, 3 Sept 2014 - 20 Nov 2014
In Ultimo Science Festival, Sydney3-12 Sept 2014
John Gollan
The scale and pace of the threat posed by a warming climate has alarmed many scientists, leading them to search for areas that may be least affected by having unusual or stable climates.
John Gollan Ant specimens show how head sizes of ants vary with micro climates.
Much of the world's biodiversity faces an uncertain future as global warming continues across the Earth's surface.
The scale and pace of the threat posed by a warming climate has alarmed many scientists, leading them to search for areas that may be least affected by having unusual or stable climates. Scientists reason that such areas could provide somewhere for species to expand and contract their populations over long periods or offer shelter from more extreme conditions. They have been termed 'microrefugia' but are also known as 'cryptic refugia' because of the difficulty in observing them within a landscape.
Dr John Gollan Research Associate & Dr Mick Ashcroft Spatial Analyst, Australian Museum wesite
John's work focuses on understanding climates near the ground, and how climate variability (as opposed to 'averages') influences invertebrate community dynamics. This information will be used to identify microrefugia in the landscape and consider how this information can be used in conservation planning. Understanding the role of local-scale climates will be important for climate change adaptation as well as conservation more generally.
John's work involves collecting primary data in the field, laboratory work identifying invertebrates, and time at the computer analysing data. He is always generating new questions from his work, and welcomes contact from students looking for projects.
