Thursday 6 May 2010, 11:30 AM (AAD Theatrette)

Science in the Spotlight - 15 min showcase presentation from three science programs

Kim Finney & Miles Jordan

Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Locating data gems with Data Navigator

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AADC) provides data management services to the Australian Antarctic program (AAp). Past approaches to publishing data have involved the development of multiple applications, customised to deliver specific types of data. These applications primarily used form-based interfaces where users could enter search terms to discover and access data. The ability to use maps in search paradigms was limited and the maintenance overhead of supporting many applications was high. The AADC has now released a beta version of its new Data Navigator tool, a general purpose data discovery and access utility capable of providing a window into all of the AADC's data holdings through one, easy to use application. Data Navigator uses international web mapping standards for data display and provides an optional Google Earth view of any data selected that is being served as "mappable". This presentation launches the Data Navigator, demonstrates its current functionality and explains how users can get involved in helping to determine its future capabilities.

Karen Miller

Environmental Protection and Change / UTAS

The Gel Jockeys of EPiC - who we are, what we're doing and why it matters

Unbeknown to many at AAD, hidden within the depths of EPiC are a group of dedicated Molecular Ecologists who spend their days (and sometimes nights!) wrestling with small pieces of DNA in the hopes of shedding light on important biological and ecological processes within the Antarctic marine ecosystem. As a team we are studying a diverse range of taxa ranging from amphipods to octocorals and tackling issues such as biodiversity, connectivity and population maintenance both in nearshore waters and the deep-sea. This seminar will be an overview of the work we have been doing for the past few years, what we've found so far, and how it might help us manage the Antarctic environment just that little bit better.

So Kawaguchi, Robbie Kilpatrick, Rob King and Steve Nicol

Southern Ocean Ecosystems 

The krill romance

The entire process of krill mating behaviour has been successfully captured for the first time using an underwater camera. Despite our general perception of krill (mate and spawn close to the surface), surprisingly this footage was recorded close to the sea floor at 500m deep. By using the video footage I will explain the interesting nature of their mating behaviour, and also touch upon its implication.